Touched
by Mercedes88
Summary: Clark Kent is ‘dead’. Lois Lane is missing. And everyone wants to save Clark. What does the future hold? Set after Doomsday.
1. Chapter 1

**Touched**

Rating: K+  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Smallville, etc.  
Summary: Clark Kent is 'dead'. Lois Lane is missing. What does their future hold? Set after Doomsday.

Note: After the events of Doomsday, this idea came to me as one way I'd like things to play out in the beginning of S9. As I'm a bit frustrated with Lois' 'secondary' role in SV world, I'm seeking to correct that here a bit. Well, a lot actually… Especially since I'm one of those that thought Clark's devastation was palpable when talking about Lois in his final scene. Plus there was just so much wrong with the Chloe stuff, something had to be done about it. :)

I'm trying to keep this one short and contained, and have several chapters written already so it shouldn't interfere with my other stories. Would love to hear your thoughts/feedback and whether I should continue or not. Thanks for all your support on my other stories!

**---**

_**By Vast**_

_Touched, you say that I am too  
So much, of what you say is true  
I'll never find some quite like you again  
I'll never find some quite like you, like you  
The razors and the dying roses  
Plead I don't leave you alone  
The demi-gods and hungry ghosts  
Oh god, god knows I'm not at home  
I'll never find someone quite like you again  
I'll never find someone quite like you again  
I, I looked into your eyes and saw  
A world that does not exist  
I looked into your eyes and saw  
A world I wish I was in  
I'll never find some quite as touched as you  
I'll never love some quite the way  
That I loved you_

**--**

**Chapter 1**

"Any word?"

Oliver Queen sank back into his leather chair and shook his head.

"Ollie, it's been two months."

"You think I don't know that, Dinah?" Ollie's strained voice cracked, an involuntary admission of the increasingly tentative hold Oliver had on his ever present control.

Dinah Lance and Arthur Currie exchanged looks. Shared worry echoed in the silence. Since the events with Doomsday, their entire world had been turned upside down. With Clark gone and Oliver in constant search mode, it was a surprise they'd lasted this long without a major falling out.

A.C. broke the silence. "What about Bart?"

"He's tracking him as closely as he can, but even he needs sleep. And Clark..." Ollie answered, his lips tightening into a thin line when considering his...what? Friend? Enemy? Reluctant partner? He didn't even know what Clark Kent was to him anymore. Or why he was trying so desperately to find him. He just knew he _had_ to. "...he's not staying in one place too long. When he does stop, it's only for a few minutes. Bart said the pace and speed that he's moving at is brutal. Like he's trying to punish himself."

"He probably is." Dinah commented quietly before offering a tentative suggestion. "Ollie, don't you think it's time that we..."

The explosion came quick and unexpectedly. His fist hit the desk with resounding condemnation. "We will **not** contact Chloe Sullivan!"

"But..."

"_Clark_ walked away from her. There's no reason we shouldn't do the same." Pushing himself away from his desk, Ollie crossed the room to stand in front of the large plate glass windows in his office-turned-Justice League-headquarters.

"She believed she was trying to save him."

"Don't even try to defend her actions to me." Eyes squeezed shut, Oliver tried to control the rage building inside of him.

"Ollie..."

"Dinah, I mean it." He spun around to face her. "Put yourself in her position and tell me you would have done the things she **chose** to do." His boiling anger seeped through his words. "All the lying and hiding. The back stabbing and betrayals. She harbored a known criminal, Dinah. Ran away with him to protect him. Stopped Clark from doing what he had to in the Fortress. She even cleaned up his messes for God's sake. Tell me you would have done the same. Even to save one of us."

Taking Dinah's silence and averted gaze as implicit denial, Ollie nodded his confirmation. "I didn't think so." He turned back to the window. "No, we'll fix this on our own."

"How?" A.C. ventured.

"I don't know." Ollie answered softly. "But I do know this...not even Clark Kent can run forever."

tbc...


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Ok, so I KNOW a scene like this would NEVER play on SV, but can I say how much fun I had poking a bit of fun at these two?? Sigh. I usually don't name my chapters, but for this one, I'm making an exception.

Thank you all so very much for the wonderfantabulous feedback. Hope you continue to enjoy! :)

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**Chapter 2 – The Delusional Duo**

"Clark Kent is dead."

Horrified, Lana Lang sat across from Chloe Sullivan in her spacious new ivory tower. She'd received a frantic call from Chloe just that morning and now, after an hour of being caught up on the recent happenings in Small-tropolis, Lana felt numb.

And sick to her stomach.

"He said that. He said those words."

"Yes." Chloe nodded, anguish filing her eyes. "And then he just...walked away. Lana, I don't know what to do anymore. Where to look. I...I thought maybe he just needed some time to grieve, to think things through. That he'd come back to me, but..." Tears welled up in her large eyes. "...its been two months. And...and Oliver won't see me. I don't even have that resource to help find him. I can only do so much on my own."

Lana reached across the table and covered Chloe's hand reassuringly. "It's ok, Chloe. I'm here now. We'll find him together."

"Lana..." Chloe shook her head. "I can't help but think...that I'm the reason for this. That what I did..."

"No, no, Chloe." Lana soothed. "Not you. If anyone's to blame…" She paused, then pushed herself away from the table. A tear-filled sigh filled the room as she moved to the large stain glass window. A saint framed beneath her halo, Lana Lang stared out benevolently at the streets of Metropolis far, far below. "…it's me. I'm the reason."

Chloe sniffled. "You?"

"If I hadn't…left Clark the way I did. Again." She sighed heavily, tragically. Guilt layered her features. "If I'd stayed the way he asked me to…"

"But you _had_ to make the sacrifice, Lana." Chloe reiterated the line that served both of them for so many years. "For Clark. To save him."

"Yes." Lana nodded in agreement. "I did." She turned back to Chloe, a small, companionable smile tilting her lips. Though she'd intended to soothe, she felt soothed in turn. Only another martyr could understand what it was like to sacrifice for the greater good. "And now, you've done the same."

This prompted a fresh flood of tears from the tiny blonde.

Lana slipped onto the seat next to Chloe and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. "Oh, Chloe, it's ok." Lana cooed approvingly. "I understand what you're going through, I do. Sometimes to protect the ones we love the most, we have to lie and pretend. We _have_ to...embrace darkness. We both know how much the world needs Clark. And you saved him. We both have. And in the end that's all that matters. We've done the right thing."

"Then why does everything seem so wrong?"

"Because you're grieving. Chloe, you've sacrificed so much." Lana reasoned. "You've lost your husband. You've lost Clark. Even the support of Oliver and the gang must be hard on you."

"And Lois." Chloe added, nodding. "I've lost Lois too."

"Of course." Lana paused considering her friend's cousin. She hadn't thought of Lois in…who knew how long. "I know she was important to you."

Chloe continued, not even realizing the irony of someone so 'important' being just an afterthought. To both of them. "It has been hard. At times, unbearable."

"Let's change that, ok?" Lana suggested with a small smile. "Let's find Clark."

"But Lana, what about..."

"I've found a way to work around our..." Lana paused, her lips curling slightly at the irony of the word. It simply wasn't big enough for the hell she and Clark had been through. "...situation. I still have my powers, but I can't harm Clark any more."

Ever curious, Chloe wiped her eyes. "What do you mean? How is that possible?"

Lana stood, her eyes brightening with hope. "When we find him, ok? But first..."

Nodding, Chloe stood. "Right. Let's find Clark."

"Where should we begin?"

There was only one place Chloe could think of. One place Clark could disappear to for months on end and be secluded from the rest of the world. "The Fortress."

Lana nodded her agreement. "Then the Fortress it is."

tbc...

p.s. I boycotted the Lana arch, but have read basic synopsis of what happened. So when it comes to her powers, etc, if I err in any details, please forgive. I simply refuse to give that girl more of my time than is absolutely necessary.

p.s.s. Lois is in the next chapter. :)

p.s.s. Lana won't be in this much. And when she is...well, you'll have to wait and see. :)


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Well, here it is…the first Lois chapter. Next chapter is about Clark and what he's been up to! Please let me know what you think. You guys are the best!!!

**--**

**Chapter 3**

She was impatient to be on her way.

After spending what felt like an eternity in another world, Lois Lane just wanted to go home.

To her time.

To her Clark.

Her finger tapped nervously on the table in front of her as her mind slipped back over the events of the past few days.

She'd learned a lot dropping into the future unannounced and unexpected. A thousands years did have a way of changing the world. Some of it, not to her liking.

For instance, Rocky Road ice cream had been outlawed some centuries back. Something about too much sugar, blah, blah, blah. Lois found that law downright criminal. Seriously? Did people not understand the _purpose_ of Rocky Road?

First order of business when she returned? Start a campaign to stop the insanity.

Ok, so…maybe not the _first_.

Also criminal was the overuse of primary colors. They were…Every. Where. She felt like she'd stepped into a rainbow universe where shades of anything weren't permitted. Really? Come on. She liked her wild cherry reds and electric blues just as much as any other subtle-as-a-freight-train personality would but…

No subtle shades of pink just waiting to flush across endearingly embarrassed cheeks?

No baby blues mixed with dancing swirls of seafoam green and layered with hints of tender gray?

It was unthinkable.

A longing sigh filled the room.

And she especially didn't like that she wasn't allowed to return home immediately. The Legion, as the group of super powered beings that greeted her was called, cautioned that her return in the midst of chaos could alter the universe indefinitely. Especially if she were to fall prey to the havoc of Doomsday.

That name alone led her to a string of discoveries that had altered _her_ universe indefinitely.

Which, to be honest, was one of the changes she liked most. Knowing her future. Knowing Clark's.

_That_ one had been a shocker. After all, who would have thought that Kansas-bred-corn-fed Clark Kent, _her _Smallville, would end up being her…well, everything. On second thought, that one wasn't as hard to believe as say…the fact that apparently, she was also his.

But the evidence was all around her. Their legendary love was immortalized in statues and monuments. A picture of the two of them, side by side, fingers entwined hung high on the walls of the Ministry of Peace, giving hope to the masses. She couldn't enter a room without encountering some homage to the partnership that was Lane and Kent.

To the love that was Clark, Lois…_and_ Superman.

Lois chuckled to herself.

What a triangle _they_ must have made.

Meanwhile, billed as "a classic for our time", Lois Lane's Rules of Reporting was sold on every street corner and book shop right next to the tiny Superman sleepers that were made for even the smallest and newest of Earth's citizens. She spent more than a few spare minutes working out how to negotiate a deal for profit sharing before deciding the 31st century's version of 'money' simply wouldn't fly in good ol' 2009 Metropolis.

Then of course, there were mundane changes that a millennium can bring. Like 31st century technology that made hers look like the tools of a pre-historic caveman. The flying was super cool. And the general atmosphere was...well, generally peaceful.

Until everything changed.

There was a knock on the door and a pretty blonde entered the room, giving Lois a sympathetic smile. "I know you're anxious to go."

"Imra, how many times have I told you not to read my mind?" Lois replied, irritation flashing in her eyes.

Imra's lips curled at that. "I didn't have to." She nodded to Lois' tapping toes, rigid posture and crossed arms and grinned at what some considered the matriarch of their present world. "Your body language says it all."

She was one that had always supported the Lois side of the Lois/Clark/Lana triangle. That there were still debates on the subject was beyond any reasoning except they were conducted among the basest of all intellectuals. It had pained her on their trip back in time to feign ignorance of the future, to not just tell the tiny brunette named Lana to get over it and move on. Destiny had claimed another to be by Kal-el's side.

But she'd been forbidden. The rules of Time Travel would not have allowed it and she would have been banned from such activity for…well, the rest of her life. Now, after having met both Lana and Lois Lane, she was glad to know her faith in Kal-el's heart choices had been wisely placed.

"Can you blame me?" Blowing out a sigh of frustration, Lois abandoned her chair and began an agitated pace in front of the younger blonde. "I mean, you guys have been great and all but I'm starting to feel like a prisoner here. There's not really much I can do _for_ your world _in_ your world, you know? And beyond that…I just…"

"You want to go home." Imra finished for Lois.

Lois stopped her pacing and turned to Imra with irrational fear in her eyes. "Something isn't right, Imra. I can feel it twisting inside of me. I should be doing something more than just waiting. How long does it take to know for certain that the future is safe anyway? Because I'm telling you now, I'm just spinning my wheels here, wasting time when..."

"Someone needs you?"

"Yeah." Lois swallowed hard and nodded. There was no question who that someone was. Her expression crumbled into worry. "Any word on..."

"Yes, actually." Rokk, the obvious leader of the Legion entered the room, closely followed by an uncharacteristically solemn Garth.

Imra's eyes narrowed at the later then snapped to the first. "What's wrong? What's happening?"

Rokk's gaze shifted from Imra to Lois then back again. "It's worse than we thought."

Instantly alarmed, Lois added her questions to the discussion that hadn't yet begun. "What do you mean? What are you talking about? I thought you said Clark was safe after what we did. That he'd managed to bury Doomsday and stop him from destroying Earth."

"He did." Rokk confirmed.

"Then what's the problem?" An increasingly agitated Lois demanded.

"Kal-el...or Clark rather..." Rokk paused feeling the weight of his own words. His own actions that had led to this. "...has given up."

The words sounded wrong. _Were_ wrong. This was something they hadn't anticipated. Though why they didn't, he would never know. Once a hero's reason for being is lost, he often ceases to be a hero.

"Given up? What do you do mean 'given up'?" Lois pressed. "He defeated the beast. The world...humanity itself has been saved."

"Yes." Rokk conceded before cautiously approaching the unpredictable brunette. His voice softened as if to shield her from the blow. "...but _he_...believes _you_ have not."

"What?" Horror slipped through her eyes.

"We need to talk." Touching her arm to reassure her, Rokk indicated the chair behind Lois, hoping she would take his hint and acquiesce without question. "Please."

For once, Lois Lane did as told.

Rokk pulled up a chair and faced her, leaning forward. "That night at the Daily Planet. The call between you and..."

"The Red and Blue Blur." Lois supplied the name that was a mere footnote in the history books of the future.

"Right." Rokk nodded. "Did you promise each other anything?"

Searching her memory for anything that might constitute a promise between her and a stranger she knew intimately, Lois shook her head. "No. No, he...he asked me to publish a letter if anything happened to him. And..." Realization flashed through her eyes. "...and I told him I'd be at the phone booth on 4th and Main at midnight. I wanted to meet him. Just once."

"Meet him." Lois chuckled with a wry shake of her head. "I've been so stupid. All this time telling him I wanted to see him. Telling him so much…like he didn't even know…and…" Her gaze shifted to another world as her voice dropped to a whisper. "…there he's been. Right in front of me…all this time…"

She silently promised she'd make it up to him. After strangling him, of course, for making the proverbial fool out of her with his oh-so-obvious 'secret' identity.

When Lois' words faltered, Rokk and Imra exchanged glances. "That must be it."

"What?" Looking back and forth between the two, Lois shifted her gaze to a silent Garth standing behind them. Her heart warmed to the younger man. He'd been by far the most excited to meet her upon her arrival. Whatever was going on now that was keeping his usually wagging tongue perfectly still had to be bigger than big. "What's going on?"

"Lois, he showed up. And you weren't there. Then there was the battle with Doomsday." Rokk answered slowly, himself only now putting things together. "By that time, you'd already vanished without a trace to..."

"The future." Lois finished for him as sudden panic gripped her. It was not difficult to guess the conclusions that had been made. "Oh, God. He thinks I'm dead."

Two days ago, that news wouldn't have had such an impact. But knowing now just how strong their love was, the intensity of their connection, how deeply entwined their two lives became, she felt every agonizing word. Lois' eyes filled with unshed tears.

"He's already searched for her." Garth commented suddenly, knowing if Lois Lane was in _his_ life and had suddenly gone missing that would be _all_ he would do. And she wasn't even his love, his future wife. His soulmate.

"He won't be able to hear her heartbeat." Imra supplied quietly, adding more evidence to an already stacked pile.

"No wonder Kal-el has lost his hope." Rokk's conclusion was jarring. "And we have lost Kal-el."

Rejecting the thought outright, Lois shook her head. "No. No, you don't understand. I know what you've been taught about us, I see the evidence of our love all around me even now, but…right now, in _my_ time, Clark doesn't feel that way about me."

"Yes, Lois, he does." It was Imra who spoke. "He may be much too afraid to admit it yet or unsure even of what it all means, but your presence in his life…it _is_ his strength. You _are_ his hope. Even now, in _your_ time. Why do you think he's reached out to you as the Blur? He needs to hear your voice on the other line. He craves that connection with you. Even if he has to hide his identity to do it."

"You really believe that?" Lois' gaze shifted among the three. "All of you?"

All three nodded in silence.

"We know it to be true." Imra added softly. "Lois, soulmates are always connected. But those of your caliber have an unbreakable bond that transcends everything. Time. Space. Distance. Hasn't your own experience here proven that?"

Lois nodded slowly. "Then why does Clark think…"

"He's never had a soulmate before. How is he supposed to know?" Imra answered wisely. "And now, when he needs you most, he's acutely aware of your absence. The adverse affect on him is bound to be monumental. Because without you, Lois…"

"The world will lose its greatest hero." Rokk finished Imra's thought.

Garth was left to point out the obvious. "And the future will change, perhaps even as we speak."

"There's more." Rokk ventured quietly. "Lois, a string of events has occurred in this fight that has caused Kal-el to question his faith in humanity. And with you, his strongest and last remaining connection to that faith, gone missing…there is now nothing left for him to believe in."

"Then I have to go back." Lois jumped up from her seat instantly in action. Gathering what little belongings she had. Pulling them into a pile. Wiping the tears from her eyes. "I have to go back right now."

"Lois..."

Jerking away from Rokk's comforting hand, her face twisted in anguish. "No. Don't you dare tell me I can't leave this time. Don't you see? _Everything_ depends on it. The future. The past. You, me, even..." His name stuck in her throat.

"We _are_ sending you back." Rokk responded to her outburst with exceptional gentleness. "But, Lois, Kal-el..."

"Clark." She corrected through gritted teeth.

"Clark..." Rokk amended. "...is not the same man you left. And you, Lois…are not the same woman he lost." Shaking his head, Rokk's statement sent a chill down her spine. "You can't leave here until you understand what you're walking back into. The danger that awaits you."

Hands on her hips, Lois issued a command that could not be ignored. "Then start talking, buddy." Determination claimed her expression and steeled her heart. "Cuz I've got a world-class saving the world record to uphold. And _this_ is one save I refuse to miss."

tbc...

p.s. I know I have Lois as being in the future 2 days while it's been 2 months for the rest of the gang. That's not a typo. Not being well versed in time travel issues, I actually did some minor research and discovered something like the time difference is possible in theory. That is, if time travel is actually possible at all. Anyway…hope those of you that are more 'in the know' don't ding me for my lack of knowledge. 


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Here it is…Clark's chapter. Now, I've not gone into a great deal of inner dialogue for him because…well, that's later. Hopefully his actions in this will give a sense of where he is at this point. At least on one issue. I cannot even tell you how much I've enjoyed reading your responses to this story. You guys are AWESOME! Hope you enjoy…and let me know what you think! :)

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**Chapter 4**

He stopped.

Finally.

Bart Allen came to a screeching halt and issued a sigh of breathless relief into the night sky. He didn't even know what continent they were on. His heart was pounding in his ears. His muscles felt like jello. And his lungs couldn't pull in enough air.

Leaning against the brick wall in the dark alley where he'd made his impromptu stop, he allowed the weariness of this latest run to wash over him. And then, as usual…

He waited.

At Oliver's request and prompted by his own sense of impending doom, Bart had been tracking Clark since his departure after Jimmy's funeral. It hadn't been easy. In fact, it had been the hardest task he'd been given to date.

First, there had been the difficulty of picking up Clark's trail. Then there had been the few, as far as Oliver knew, times Clark had given him the slip. In reality, it occurred once a week. It was usually around Metropolis and usually only lasted a day. The first few times Bart actually tried to locate him. After he picked up Clark's pattern, he would just hang back, watch and…wait.

Beyond that?

Clark Kent was relentless.

Everywhere. They'd been everywhere. There wasn't a point on the globe where Clark hadn't touched down. Paused. Then took off again at a pace so punishing, Bart didn't know how much longer he could hold out. On a few rare occasions Clark made human contact. When needed. Trying to keep his distance, Bart was never privy to Clark's definition of 'needed'.

This was now globe trotting tour number two.

If Bart didn't get some relief soon…

"Had enough yet?"

Bart jumped at the familiar, yet eerily different, voice behind him. He spun around. "Clark! How did you…"

He was hidden in shadows. His voice dark. Deep. Lifeless. "Why are you tailing me?"

"Hey, amigo, we're worried about you." Pushing himself away from the wall, Bart advanced a step. Clark tensed and sank further into the shadows. Bart paused, his explanation coming more rapidly in the absence of movement. "I mean, what did you expect? You just...pull a disappearing act on us. What were we supposed to do?"

"Honor my wish." A pause. A command. "Leave me alone."

Bart flashed a smile and shrugged. "No can do, bro."

"I'm **not** your bro."

As if to prove his point, Clark took a step from the shadow into the light of the full moon.

Bart tried to cover his gasp of surprise with a nervous chuckle. "Whoa, dude. Pretty intense look you got going on there. Did the 'tude come with the jacket or did you pay extra for that?"

Before him stood Clark Kent.

But not.

Head to toe screamed one word: danger.

His usually well groomed hair hung in a mess of waves around his face, hanging low on his forehead and disappearing against the pitch black collar of his leather jacket. More than a three day stubble outlined his strong jaw and curved over full lips that were pulled into a tight, unbending line. He was pale except for the dark circles under his eyes.

And the eyes? Piercing. Hollow. Cold as steel.

The eyes of a predator.

Or a ghost.

The ghost spoke. "Take a message to Oliver. Tell him I don't _want_ to hurt any of you, but I will...if you continue to intentionally cross my path. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, man, I get it." Holding up his hands in surrender, Bart eased his way back. "But what's the dealio, huh? This whole solitude thing…man, I've been there and it's not the best place to be. Maybe if you just…"

"Do. You. Understand?" Clark took a menacing step forward. The repeated question was pushed through clenched teeth as eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Yep." Bart nodded as his mouth clamped shut. His back bumped up against the wall. "Got it."

With one nod of whatever passed for satisfaction now, Clark turned to go.

Bart couldn't help himself. After months of tracking the guy, he finally had him in one place, at one speed. "But you should probably know, we're not the only ones looking for you."

_That_ worked. Surprisingly.

"Who else?" The icy blue eyes flickered with…was that hope Bart saw?

"Chlolicious."

If there had been something, it was gone like a phantom. His lips curled into a near sneer. "Then you might want to tell her the same goes for her."

Bart's brows creased in alarm. "Whoa, dude, don't you think that's going a bit far? She's like, your best friend…"

"**Don't** tell me what she is." Clark's terse command cut him off. A flash of emotion. Enough to cause his nostrils to flare in...was that disgust? "I know that better than anyone."

Disgust it was.

"Clark, you can't keep running like this."

Ok, so apparently Bart Allen liked living life on the edge. Or he just didn't have the capacity to shut up.

"Running?" Long lashes batted making sharp, pointed slashes against the pale skin. Head cocked to the side, he actually looked momentarily, boyishly confused. "Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"Well, isn't it?" Now Bart was confused. "I mean, we all feel bad about what happened, Clark, but we're dealing you know? Together. Zipping all around the world non-stop like the hounds of hell are on your heels isn't going to bring Jimmy back. We need you, Clark. The world…Chloe…we all need…"

"Just…" A halting hand rose. He didn't need to verbalize his command, but he did anyway. "Just stop right there.

"What?"

"Stop pretending you know what the world needs." Clark fixed him with an icy stare. "Or have a clue what I'm doing."

Bart felt a chill down his spine. "Clark…"

Leathered arms crossed in defiance and authority. Strong, muscled legs spread and tensed as if bracing for a physical confrontation. Black clothes faded into darkness making the usually invulnerable Clark Kent look dangerously larger than life. "Bart, go home. And don't let me see you following me again."

The bob of his head accompanied the bob of his Adam's apple. "Alright. But you know where we are. You know…if you need us."

Bart turned and made it two steps before a soft, hesitant voice called to him.

"Bart?"

Bart turned back to face Clark. He'd once more slipped back into shadows. Only half of his face was illuminated by the moon. One ice blue eye pinned him with a glinting glare. "Yeah?"

"Has there…been any word on…" He paused, his throat working hard, his lips tightening into an even harder line than before.

Taking this as a good sign, Bart advanced with a prompt. "On what?"

"Lois?"

He exhaled her name in a whisper and managed to break the four lettered moniker in two when his voice cracked with emotion.

"Lois Lane? Oliver's ex?"

Bart hit the wall with a force that knocked the wind out of him. A steel grip pinned him to the rough bricks and pushed him into them as a Clark's face, twisted with grief and rage, filled his view.

"Lois Lane, _my_ partner. _My_ best friend. _My_…" Clark's face crumbled into anguished realization at the wide, terrified eyes staring back at him. Of what he was doing, what he was saying. He promptly let go and stepped back from Bart, his breath coming out in rapid puffs of air.

Bart dropped to the ground like a sack of trash. He didn't even feel the impact. Gasping for air, one fleeting thought occurred to him. _Keeping mouth shut, good. Pissing Clark off, bad. _

Clark stumbled back then spun around, the growl of frustration emanating from him sounded almost inhuman. Bracing his hands against the opposite wall, Clark leaned in as his head dropped wearily. A few moments of ragged breathing. A few of utter silence. Then…

"I'm…sorry."

Contemplating the man before him…his mentor, his friend…Bart suddenly realized what all this was about.

"Clark…"

"Bart, just…go." Though a command, it sounded more like a plea.

Bart sighed and slumped against the wall. He kept a wary eye on the man turned machine just a few very short, very dangerous feet away. When he spoke, his voice was uncharacteristically gentle and filled with compassion. "Her memorial service was held a few weeks after Jimmy's funeral."

A pause. A hard swallow.

"A few weeks." For the first time, something akin to pain entered his strained voice. No, it was much more than pain. Agony. Despair. Disbelief. "Is that...all?"

"They all searched. For days on end. But, Clark, there's no evidence she's still alive."

That took a few moments to sink in.

Bart could hear Clark's ragged sighs. He could see the jerky rise and fall of his shoulders as he struggled with the information. Struggled with his own truth. After a few painful moments of battle, Clark pushed himself from the wall and turned to Bart, his face set. His eyes bright with unshed tears and alive for the first time.

His own truth had won out.

"There's also no evidence she's dead." His voice was husky with raw emotions.

"Wow." Bart breathed. "That's what you're doing, isn't it? You're…searching for Lois." He struggled to his feet and leaned his weight against the wall that had threatened to become his unintentional grave only a few moments before. "Clark. Man, I'm sorry. I didn't know she was that important to…"

He stopped abruptly when Clark's hands clenched into fists. His lips puckered then tightened. His jaws jerked with tension.

Bart cleared his throat and once again took his life in his hands. "Ollie was the last to give up hope. He took her death really hard. Maybe the two of you should…"

"She isn't dead."

"We all want to believe that, but…"

"I would…feel it." Clark's definitive statement rocked Bart to the core. He'd never seen Clark like this. Never seen him so simultaneously devastated and determined. Never so sure of anything. "She isn't."

"Clark…"

"Go home, Bart. And remember what I said. I don't want to hurt anyone, but…"

"Right." Bart nodded once and flashed a smile, hoping it was enough to make things right between them. "Got that message loud and clear."

Emotionless, Clark moved past him.

Bart reached out to him once more. "Clark, is there anything…I can do to help you?"

Clark stopped dead in his tracks. His back to Bart, he didn't hesitate to answer. "Only one thing."

"What's that?"

"Stay out of my way."

One more question. "Even if we find Lois?"

Clark's head snapped to the side then tilted in contemplation. That action caused a single tear to slip down his cheek. In the shadows, it would have been lost. In the moonlight, it sparkled like a precious jewel.

"That is your _one_ and _only_ exception."

And with that caveat, Clark Kent disappeared into the night…

…in search of Lois Lane.

Tbc...


	5. Chapter 5

Note: Ok, all. Here's the next bit. Please keep in mind I'm trying to set a bunch of things in motion here that are—if not simultaneous—at least very, very close together in timeline. But I promise when Clois are in the same space I'll do my dead level best to make it worth the wait. Also, this and the next chapter are set up for a lof of things. Hope you enjoy. I truly am enjoying your reactions to this. Thank you so much for the feedback and for reading!

--

**Chapter 5**

"Chloe." She announced with a confident air.

"No. Lana." He contradicted.

"Uh, no. Chloe."

A deep masculine sigh. "You're wrong. It's Lana."

"Look, cue ball..." The female's voice was terse and agitated. "I'm the one that's been intimately invested in his life this past year. Practically living on top of him at the Planet. I'm telling you…it's Chloe."

Patience vanished. "And I'm the one that's known him practically all his adult life. It's Lana."

A pause. Two icy stares. Then the real fight began.

"Chloe!"

"Lana!"

"Chloe!"

"Lana!"

Rolling his eyes at the bickering behind him, the man at the window stroked his dark goatee in concentration. At first, these games were flattering. Entertaining even. But after a while, a little bit of Tess Mercer and Lex Luthor went a long way.

He had been surprised when they'd agreed to put the past behind them and work together for the 'good of the world'. Then again, he shouldn't have been. If there was one thing Zod had learned about humans...they'd sell their souls for just the _promise_ of power.

It just so happened, he'd been in a position to make such a promise.

He turned to observe the childish battle.

Hands on her hips, Tess was showing no sign of backing down from the parrying Lex. It was amazing really. There were actually people on this planet that feared these two. Considered them dangerous, or at the very least deranged.

In the presence of the great General Zod, they were like two children vying for their father's approval.

His cold, hard gaze shifted from the two arguing humans to the only other alien being in the room. Shapely legs slung over the arm of a chair by the fire, she was shaking her fiery read head, rolling her green eyes and sharpening her claws with something called a nail file.

Her look of disgust said it all…

_Humans._

He had a tendency to agree with the assessment.

He'd only been on this cursed plant for two months and already wondered at the bumbling idiocy of the human race. Not to mention his bad luck as, for some reason, they all seemed to gather at his feet. There had to be _something_ better than this. Something worth conquering. Or at least something that would bring him pleasure to destroy.

"Chloe!"

"Lan..."

"Enough!" His command reverberated through the central room of the Luthor mansion. A mansion he'd wasted no time in claiming as his home, and base of operations after his arrival on Earth. "I've heard…enough."

Tess Mercer and Lex Luthor both swallowed into silence.

"Sit."

They both scrambled for the same seat, jostling each other for a place of power closest to their chosen leader chosen seat. Tess won out. Lex slipped into the chair next to her with a snarl on his lips.

Zod tweaked their egos by passing them both up in favor of taking his place behind the large glass desk in front of the large stain glassed window.

He clasped his fingers in front of him then addressed them with a simple command.

"Now. One by one, present your case."

Lex and Tess both took a deep breath and opened their mouths to speak. At the same time.

"Ladies first." Zod clarified.

Tess smirked at Lex then turned her full attention to Zod. "Chloe Sullian. She's been his best friend since eighth grade. Not only does she know his secret, but she's been his primary source of strength, information and inspiration for the past several years. He trusts no one like he trusts Chloe."

"And loves no one like he loves Lana."

She ignored the snarky comment from Lex's direction and continued, knowing any diversion from Zod's commands could easily turn the tide of his good favor against her. "This past year alone, he has ignored every piece of advice given him, even that of those from the future, just to save her life."

Lex chuckled and shook his shiny head.

Tess stifled a sigh of frustration and continued. "Furthermore, she was able to run a full on operation of lies and betrayals right under his nose and he didn't even blink one baby blue when she did it. He still rushed to her defense and her rescue, believing all the time in her complete and utter innocence. He hasn't a clue she's really the one to blame for it all."

A conceited nose tilted upward as she made her final point. "She's the one I chose to use to get to him. And it worked like a charm. He believed every word she said. As he always has. As he always will. Chloe Sullivan is the only one that can break him."

General Zod considered Tess' words for a moment before turning his attention to the other human child.

"Lex?"

"He's loved Lana since the day he set eyes on her." Lex jumped in eagerly. "The things he has done for her have been…beyond human capacity."

"Given he's a super powered alien, that would make sense." Tess noted under her breath.

Lex's eyes quickly darted to Tess, but no other acknowledgement was given. "She has betrayed him, time and time again. Behind his back, to his face, turned him upside down, inside out and in every other way you can imagine. And he still wants her. Still loves her."

A hint of arrogance slipped through his features. "If my latest test did not prove that, then those reading the results are a lost cause. I have used her to break him in the past and I know I can use her again. There is, therefore, no doubt in my mind. To break Clark Kent, we use Lana."

Before Zod could respond, Lex offered one more tidbit of information that was sure to tip the scales in his favor.

"And…if I may remind you, General…" His glinting blue eyes pinned their newest leader with a knowing look. "…she was the one you yourself chose to help you populate the new world of Zod. So, of course, there is that angle too."

Lex leaned back in his chair with a knowing air of superiority. Tess hrumphed, crossed her arms and arched a slender brow in response.

Zod's lips pursed in contemplation. In that moment, he looked every bit the picture of his now departed son, Davis Bloom. "The problem that I see with…_both_ plans…I don't want him broken. I want him crushed. Unusable. And utterly destroyed."

That pronouncement alone sent a chill through both Tess and Lex. Regardless of their past relationship, they were in complete agreement about General Zod. He was not an…alien…to be crossed. And clearly, they had failed to convince him on either of their points.

Zod turned his attention to the alien lounging near the fire. "Maxima? Do you have any preference?"

"Actually, I do." Like a cat slipping from its perch, Maxima rose from her chair and advanced toward the three other occupants in the room, pausing to note each human and their given choice on her way. "But it's neither Chloe nor Lana." She approached the desk and General Zod, placing something on the table in front of him. "Here."

"Who's this?"

"The key to Kal-el's destruction." Maxima purred as she watched General Zod's eyes widen with interest. His lips tilt dangerously. "Lois Lane."

Tess and Lex both snickered from their chairs.

"Lois Lane." Zod rolled the name around on his tongue. Tasting it. Liking the feel of it. "Yes, yes, I've heard that name before. This was the human body that Faora inhabited. She said he was…quite affected by the incident. That she sensed how deep his feelings for this human ran."

"I have had my own incident with Lois Lane and Kal-el's 'feelings' for her." Maxima supplied smoothly, knowing she was the only one that truly held Zod's attention now.

"And?"

A meaningful eyebrow rose. "They were strong enough to break my hold on him. With just one look."

Zod leaned back in the leather chair and chuckled. "Well, now. _That's_ saying something."

"What? Wait." It was Tess who protested first. "No, no, you have it all wrong. I know Lois and Clark. They work for me. And believe me…there's _nothing_ between them. Most days they can barely stand each other."

"Interesting." Maxima commented drawing Zod's questioning stare. "Those are almost the exact same words Lois said to me just moments after Kal-el chose _her_ over me."

Zod's lips curled into a devious smile as his dark eyes sparkled devilishly. His gaze fell to the 8x10 glossy in his hand. She certainly was an attractive woman. Even if she wasn't Kal-el's undoing, she could certainly be useful. In _his_ new world. He would, after all, need a human to, as Lex so delicately put it, populate.

"One look you say?"

"One look." Maxima confirmed.

"Where is she now?"

"You can't be serious." This time it was Lex who dipped his oar in water too deep for him to tread. "Lois is the last person on this Earth that Clark Kent would ever love."

Eyes locked with Maxima's, Zod made his decision. "Let's test that theory, shall we?"

Nodding once, Maxima's green eyes glowed with victory. "I know just the way…"

Tbc...

p.s. I know Zod is a baddy bad and Lex/Tess are too, but after the last chapter, I figured we could use a bit of levity. Not a lot, just a bit. Hoped this succeeded. Also, I know this is skating over the whole Tess/Lex relationship. They aren't my focus so I hope you don't mind. Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

Hey all—sorry for the delay. The past chapter, as well as this, have been more of a set up for things to come. This should then kick some things into gear. Hope you enjoy and again…you're amazing with your feedback, support and comments! Thank you sooo very, very much!

--

**Chapter 6**

"Wow. That's…" Blinking in surprise that her petite friend not only super sped them to the Artic, but carried her with ease on her back, Chloe was speechless.

"Super cool?" Lana Lang's eyes were bright with exhilaration.

"Yeah." Chloe's awe was evident. "I mean I've been up close and personal with super powers before but that was…"

"I know." Lana's pert nose tilted upward like a debutante's in an air of assumed royalty. "They have come in quite handy, these powers of mine. I can't even _begin_ to tell you how they make me feel." Her expression slipped into a practiced frown. "Of course, you know how devastated I was when I couldn't be with Clark…"

"Uh-huh."

"So, I dealt by throwing myself into developing my powers." Lana's expression animated with excitement. "I've learned so much, Chloe, about what I can and can't do. Now, even more than before, I'm sure that when Clark and I get back together, I'll be able to give him all the support he needs." Lana reached out to pat Chloe's hand reassuringly. "See? Even something that seems as bad as losing the love of your life can sometimes turn out to be a very, very good thing."

"Right." Ever the observant one, Chloe noted with interest and not a small bit of jealousy how Lana seemed to practically ooze confidence. Superiority. Borderline haughtiness. She even took a moment from her busy day to preen herself like a high school girl getting ready for the prom. Or a proud peacock. "Hmmm. So. Clark."

"Oh! Right." It wasn't _like_ Lana had forgotten their purpose there or anything. She had. Lana nodded and turned to the entrance to the Fortress. Her expression hardened with determination. "Let's go save Clark."

Chloe's eyes narrowed as she watched her friend trudge through the snow. There seemed to be something more going on with Lana and these powers than she was letting on. She made a mental note to ask later. Once they'd saved Clark.

After all, who knew? Chloe sighed resignedly. She just might end up having to save Lana too.

"Clark?"

Chloe hurried to catch up then followed close behind, her green eyes wide with inspection. "Clark!"

"Clark are you in here?" Lana pointed for Chloe to go one way while she began moving in the opposite direction.

After a ten minute, surface perusal of the Fortress, Chloe and Lana met back up at the center to discuss their next option.

"I so thought he would have come here." Chloe frowned in disappointment.

"Me too." Lana agreed as her disdainful gaze slipped over the crystal bastion. "Apparently not." A shiver ran down her spine. "Let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."

Chloe frowned at that. "Really? I always kinda thought it was…"

"Cold. Ugly. Pointy. And did I mention cold? Way too cold for my taste." Lana finished for her before turning and offering her back to Chloe. "Ready?"

Chloe climbed up and held on as before. "Uh, Lana? Where to now?"

"First, I take you back to Metropolis. Then…" Lana's lips curled as her eyes danced with anticipation. If he wasn't at the Fortress, there was only one other place Clark Kent could be. "I have an idea of my own…"

From high above, dull, lifeless eyes watched their every move. Tense. Alert. Disgusted.

And so very relieved he'd escaped a web of lies…

…one more day.

--

Oliver Queen reached for his glass of orange juice.

It disappeared.

Like a flash.

He rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Alright, Bart. Give it back."

"Aww, man, gimme a break, would ya?" Bart took a swig then set the glass back on the table. He stifled a yawn. And poured on the guilt. "It's not like I've _not_ eaten in days or anything."

Contemplating the younger man through narrowed eyes, Ollie shoved his untouched breakfast plate to the place sitting next to his. Bart grinned and took his cue. After a plate of food made it to his stomach and a few more forks full of eggs made their way into his mouth, Ollie began his interrogation.

"Alright, Bart. What's going on? Shouldn't you be, I don't know, following somebody right about now?"

Bart shrugged as he continued to shovel food into his mouth. "No point."

"What do you mean no point?" Ollie's brows knitted together in concern.

"I saw him."

His brows shot up in surprise. "What?"

"Yeah. Talked to him even."

"Where was this? _When_ was this? "

"I think…" Bart paused long enough to consider his answer before tossing it out with a shrug. "…like, thirty minutes ago in…Europe. Somewhere. Maybe. But, honestly, it's kinda hard to tell sometimes when you're moving at the speed of light. And sound."

"Ok, fine. It doesn't really matter. For now." Curiosity filtered through the young billionaire's expression as he crossed his arms and leaned on the table top. "So, what did he say?"

"Oh. Right. Ummm…" Bart took one last swig of orange juice and leaned back in the chair with a contented sigh. He even went so far as to pat his well fed stomach. "He sent a message. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, but he will if we keep following him."

Ollie pursed his lips at the news. "Was that all?"

"No, dude." Bart's usually bright and sarcastic expression sobered as he shook his head. "He's seriously messed up."

Irritation flared in brown eyes. "I figured that one, Bart. Can you be more specific?"

Instead of answering the question, this time Bart had one of his own. "Did you know about him and Lois?"

"Lois?" Ollie blinked suddenly as his mind whirled. "What about Lois?"

"They had a thing."

Nodding slowly, Ollie acknowledged his long believed, little known, and to his knowledge, little explored fact without hesitation. "Yeah. They did."

"And I don't mean just a thing thing…this was…" Bart's eyes widened and held his hands out in a gesture indicating monumental proportions. "…a _thing_."

"Really."

"Yeah, I mean, the guy can't say her name without breaking down or going ballistic. Neither of which I want to experience again, I might add." Then Bart did add more. "In fact, I nearly lost my head just calling her _your _ex."

"Wow. I knew there was something there, but…" Shaking his head in amazement, Ollie pushed himself away from the table and crossed to the sidebar where enough food was waiting to feed three armies. "I didn't realize anything between them had…progressed."

"Look, I don't know how 'progressed' it was, but…Ollie…" Bart waited till Oliver turned to face him. "…he's not running from us. He's looking for her."

"What?" Oliver nearly dropped his plate.

"Yeah. I…I told him, you know that there was no hope, but…" Bart shrugged helplessly and let the thought dangle.

Mind spinning with possibilities, Oliver returned to the table in a daze. He didn't even notice when Bart snitched a piece of pineapple from his plate. "So…did Clark give any reason for why he thinks she's still alive?"

"Just that he would know. That he would…" Bart looked confused saying the words. Whatever had been going on between the two was clearly out of Bart Allen's league. "…feel it."

Ollie's gaze snapped to Bart's face. "Feel it."

Bart simply nodded. Then stole a grape.

Leaning back in his chair, Ollie mulled the latest information over.

It had been no secret, at least to one Oliver Queen, that Lois and Clark had feelings for each other. A fact, he'd noted the first time he saw them in the same room together. The way she'd talked about him non-stop their first few dates, derisive or not, meant something. And the way he'd been so protective over her those first few weeks of their acquaintance? Well, that meant even more.

Through the years, they'd bickered and soothed. Fought with and for each other. They'd been there for each other. Always that steady, calm shoulder to lean on when one was about to crumble.

Now, working as partners at the Daily Planet, it was clear things had changed. They'd grown even closer. Sharp edges had been smoothed. Rolled eyes of irritation had softened into lingering looks of desire. Their digging, biting banter had morphed into the gentle rhythms of spark-filled flirtation. They were definitely on the verge of something…great.

Then all hell broke loose. Lana returned. And Lois left.

Ollie was still kicking himself for suggesting _that _little side trip from Lana's road to solitude.

That he'd precious little time to catch up with Lois since her return was due to conflicting schedules and crossing paths, not lack of desire. Regardless of their past relationship, she was always, first and foremost, a very good friend.

He missed her. More than he thought he could. The permanence of death seems to have that affect. For weeks after her disappearance, he didn't give up hope. He just knew, when he least expected, she'd walk through his door with some outrageous demand as if nothing had ever happened.

He prayed for that moment.

Apparently, so did Clark.

Because a Lois Lane in the world meant something was _right_ in the world.

Both men knew that now.

"We've been going about this all wrong." Ollie stated suddenly.

"Uh…ok?" Bart responded around a mouthful of cantaloupe. "What does that mean?"

"All this time we've been trying to find _him_, when what we should really be doing is making him come to us."

"How?"

Recalling his own conversation with Lois not that long ago, a plan was quickly forming in Ollie's mind. "By finding what he needs."

"And that would be?" Bart prompted.

"Lois." Ollie declared with a knowing smile.

"Riiight." Bart nodded clearly confused. "And how we supposed to do that, huh? Last time I checked all the trains to heaven were running behind schedule."

"She's not dead." Ollie announced as he pushed himself away from the table.

"Seriously?" Bart groaned. "Man, I just went through this with him. Do I need to remind you…_no one_ can find her. Anywhere."

"Maybe that's because…we've all been looking in the wrong place." Ollie stated, an edge of excited confidence filtering through his voice. He nodded to an object on the table. "Hand me the phone. I have a favor to call in…"

--

"Lana, dear, you look wonderful."

Martha Kent hugged the slight girl and offered her a seat with a wave of her hand.

"So, do you, Mrs. Kent." Lana responded in kind as her curious gaze swept the Senator's office. "It's still so strange. Whenever I think of you, it's always in the kitchen back home in Smallville not the marbled halls of Congress."

Martha smiled then tilted her head in contemplation of the girl sitting across from her.

The girl her son had loved.

_Had_ being the operative word.

She had always like Lana Lang. As a girl growing up in Smallville she'd been sweet and innocent. As the teenage cheerleader urging the Crows home to victory she'd been energetic and beautiful. But as the girl that stole her son's heart…

Martha Kent just didn't see it.

Oh, she'd watched their uncertain relationship over the years and saw the feelings between them. How could she not? They were undeniable. But as a match for her son? As a true companion? A soulmate?

Lana's reality never quite lived up to Clark's dreams.

It was always a delicate subject and one she never fully voiced to Clark, but Martha just knew there was someone out there so much more suited to Clark then Lana would ever be. Someone that would stand by side. Independent. Strong. Capable. An inspiration, not a hindrance.

Someone like…Lois Lane.

This last year proved her right.

Clark's visit to her two months ago, shattered all doubt.

"So, Lana, I'm sure you didn't just come to visit." Gently clasped hands in her lap, Martha planted a smile on her face. It was her 'lobbyist' smile. The one she used for all the bottom feeding sharks in D.C. that loved to nip and gnaw on her every last nerve. "How can I help you?"

"Well, I guess there's no easy way to say this but to just…say it." Lana blinked rapidly as if trying to call up a well of tears. The quiver in her voice even sounded fake. "Clark has gone missing and we're all so very, very worried about him. No one has seen or heard from him in months and well…I thought, if he was going to be in touch with anyone, it would be you."

In truth, this was her second stop since leaving the Fortress. Her first? The Kawatche Caves. She and Clark had shared so much there, their destiny itself was written on its walls. Certainly in seeking solace, he'd go there. But he hadn't. It took a disappointed Lana well over an hour to remember Martha Kent in D.C.

"I see." Martha commented, understanding beyond words stole through her voice. "Well, you were right. Clark has contacted me."

"He has?" Lana sighed with relief. "Well, did he say where he was? How he is? What he's doing?"

A little information to still her fears and stop her search was fine. But telling her everything? No, Clark wouldn't want that.

Instead of answering the girl's curiosity, Martha turned the tables. "Lana, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but if Clark wanted you to know…you would."

"But…but, how can I help him if I don't where he is?"

"Maybe the best way to help Clark right now…" Martha explained calmly, gently. "…is to leave him be."

"But…"

"I know you all are worried, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried too. But maybe what Clark needs right now is for everyone to stop telling him…what he needs." The relentless girl opened her mouth to protest once more. Martha pulled her own filibuster. "Everyone deals with grief differently, Lana. Clark is dealing with his the only way he can."

Lana pulled in a deep breath and tried to calm the building anger inside. Really. She never expected this kind of stonewalling from Martha Kent. She was, after all, the love of Clark's life. She deserved better treatment.

When she spoke again, her voice took on a new edge.

"Mrs. Kent. I know that you've been away and…I just don't think you know how much things have changed for Clark. Specifically for Clark and me."

"Oh, I'm well aware of how things have changed." Martha commented quietly. Knowingly. "For Clark."

Oblivious to the obvious, Lana missed the hint. "Then you know the person he needs most right now, is me."

"Is it?" Martha's wise eyes pinned Lana with an inquisitive stare. "You know, Lana, sometimes things don't work out for a reason. And when they don't work out no matter how hard you try…_several_ times…it's time to let go."

"But…we love each other."

"Perhaps when Clark is ready…"

A sharp young man dressed in a suit knocked on the open door, nodded apologetically and handed a slip of paper to Martha. "I'm sorry, Senator. There's an urgent message for you on line one."

Martha took one look at the paper and her eyebrow rose. Standing quickly, the Senator signaled a swift end to her current meeting. "I'm sorry, Lana. I _have _to take this call. It's this bill we've been working on for months. The President is ready to make a deal."

"Oh. Oh, of course." Lana rose, looking more than a little miffed. He smile was tight. And her good bye hug was stiff and cold. "If you hear from Clark though…"

"I'll be sure to tell him you're looking for him." Martha promise just seconds before an offended Lana Lang was unceremoniously ushered out of Senator Kent's office.

As soon as the door was safely closed and locked behind her, Martha slipped into her seat and reached for the phone. "Oliver Queen. I've been waiting for your call…"

--

The second she hit Metropolis, she checked her messages. There were the usual. A reminder for her doctor's appointment. Her dry cleaning was done. The Daily Planet called with a time for her job interview…

Chloe's eyes narrowed in confusion at the last message. She didn't recognize the number or the voice.

_Miss Sullivan, this is Maxine Davis at the Metropolis Coroner's Office. We need you to come down as soon as possible. I'm sorry to inform you, but…we believe we've found the body of your cousin, Lois Lane…_

Tbc…

p.s. Sorry for all the Lana-ness in this one. I REALLY don't like writing her, I promise. And I know SV would never make her this blatantly selfish and oblivious without there being some redeeming sacrificial/saint-like/martyr moment, but I always sensed there was so much more of Lana-love in her actions than there was Clark-love. But that's just me. Anyway…she's not a major player much longer if that makes any of you feel better. And hopefully when he end comes, it'll be satisfying. Hopefully. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Hey all--next part. It's Clois, but not. So, please don't hate me. I really, really do have a plan here! I took just a slight step back in time here to explain some things from Clark's POV. Just fyi--

You all are just way too wonderful with your feedback. I really can't tell you how much your comments mean and I'm so very glad you're enjoying this as much as I am writing it!! Let me know what you think!!

--

**Chapter 7  
**

He was exhausted.

Bone-tired. Mind numbed. Heart weary.

Undone.

For two solid months he'd been running, stopping to listen…for her voice, her breathing, her heartbeat…then moving on when dead silence greeted intense longing. The routine was second nature now. He didn't even notice the overall toll it was taking on him.

He didn't care.

There had been the occasional rests. Once a week. To check for developments on her whereabouts, to shower, to eat, to sleep. In that order. His only reason for stopping? Super-powered or not, he'd never find what he was looking for if he ran himself into the ground doing it. Even that mundane truth registered somewhere in the back of his single-focused, determined mind.

He never looked at himself in the mirror. Not once. He knew what he would see.

A hollow shell of a man, barely surviving.

And as for living? He'd ceased doing that the day he walked away from Chloe Sullivan...his one last living connection to Lois Lane.

He'd gone to her, one final try, one last grasp after days of fruitless searching. Hoping beyond hope. When she tearfully told him she'd seen someone tacking Lois' picture on a missing persons' board...

His heart shriveled up.

When he said 'Clark Kent is dead', it was not an exaggeration.

Only one thing kept him going. Only one truth.

Lois Lane would never leave him alone.

Everyone else in the world would. Everyone else had.

But not Lois. Never Lois.

He _needed_ to rest.

The conversation with Bart had zapped every ounce of energy, willpower.

And hope.

And if there was one thing Clark Kent refused to do, it was lose hope. She _had_ to be alive. She _had _to be reachable. She just _had_ to.

Because if she wasn't, despair and desperation would bury him so deep he'd never claw his way out. Not this time. Not ever again. Everything would fade to black. Nothing good would be left. Nothing pure. Nothing true. And he wouldn't care that they weren't.

Because if Lois Lane was no longer in the world…what would be the point?

Of anything.

He paused on the street corner. Fourth and Main. The phone booth was empty. Not that he really thought he'd find her there. But…there was still the chance…

The chance that somehow time had stopped for her. That she'd be waiting for him all along, fire in her eyes, ready to lay into him for being so late. The chance she'd take one look at him and silently throw herself into his arms. Or roll her eyes, repeatedly poke him in the chest and berate him for not seeing what was right in front of him all this time.

That was definitely one lecture he'd gladly suffer through.

He certainly deserved it.

When exactly had Lois Lane become an integral part of his life? A desperate need? The very beat of his heart? He tried to pinpoint it. A moment, a look, a touch. It was impossible. Since the day he'd met her…been rescued by her…there had been one long string of little nothings and precious somethings that now swirled before him as the biggest, most beautiful everything he'd ever known.

He'd been so blind. To so much. To everything. Allowing tainted dreams to cloud his vision. Letting circumstances dictate his decisions, his actions. Fear had ruled him, making him too weak to reach out to the one and only true light in his life.

To the one person that broke every rule. Reshaped his idea of perfect. And became his home.

Without batting an eye.

Now with her gone…

The heaviness of grief threatened to drown him.

God, how he needed rest.

But his usual stop wouldn't do. Not this time. It would be too distracting. Too comforting. Too much like home.

That's why he went there next. His Fortress. Her Heaven.

He found it invaded by unwanted visitors. The last two people on Earth he wanted to see. He watched silently as Lana and Chloe did a cursory search for him. His hands clenched by his side, his eyes narrowed in disdain. He was only relieved by one thing. They didn't waste any more time on him than was absolutely necessary.

Then, after abusing his place of solitude, they disappeared.

And the Fortress felt…dirty. Tainted. Unwelcoming.

Clark's shoulders dropped in agony as he slipped silently to the crystal floor, weary head dropping into shaking hands. Was there no place on this planet where he was safe? No one that could wrap him in their arms and claim him? No center of his universe? No home?

"Lois…" The strangled, broken cry slipped through his crystal domain. "…please…I don't know…how much longer…" Tears came hot and quick. "It's all so…dark here…without you…"

---

She stared at the picture longingly.

After her lengthy briefing with the Legion, Lois was mercifully left alone. With her thoughts. With her hopes and dreams. With her choice.

For the hardest decision she'd ever made, it was surprisingly easy.

Then again, she'd do anything for Clark. Even sacrifice herself. She knew that now. She fiercely embraced that truth like it was her last hope. Her reason. Her strength.

Probably because it was…

A wedding picture. Theirs. She'd found it in a history book and despite the various signs indicating the illegality of such an act, she instantly tore out the page without an ounce of guilt to haunt her.

_My wedding. My picture._

And God, what a picture they made together.

They were dancing on air. Her simple, elegant white gown melted into the black of his tux and disappeared in the circle of his arms. Her body was molded so tightly against his she was like his second skin. Or he was hers. They were so much a part of each other, there was no separation. No beginning. No end.

Just one glowing, solid unit of infinite love.

Her arms languidly wrapped around his neck as she beamed up at him with absolute trust and confidence in his care. She knew he would never let her fall. From the look in his eyes, he knew the same. How could he not? When the only woman strong enough to hold him was forever resting in his arms?

And the way he was looking at her. It was…breathtaking, even in its two dimensional form.

Lois smiled. It wasn't the first time she'd seen that look. No, not by a long shot. There had been hints off and on. Little glances here and there. Heated stares that furtively skittered away from her face the second she'd look up from her work. Or her meal. Or any other mundane thing she was doing at the time.

It had never been so bold, so blatant, as the night of Chloe's wedding.

He'd filled her up with that look. Took her breath away. And started a chain reaction of events that brought her to this moment. To this realization. He'd wanted that kiss as much as she did that night. More than that, he saw _her_. Wanted _her_. Not some dream of what could be. Not some past love that never quite measured up.

Just…her.

Even then, _that_ look was only a hint of what she held in her hands.

So full of longing, desire. So sure. So ready and willing to be pulled in and taken under. Joy. Inner peace. And so much, unconditional, overwhelming love.

He couldn't hide it.

Neither could she.

She swallowed hard at the thought of what lay ahead. Unshed tears blurred the image. She angrily blinked them away. She didn't want anything to cloud the now crystal clear vision of her ultimate goal.

She _would_ see that look again. She would do whatever it took. Wait however long. Sacrifice what was needed…

"Lois! Lois come quick!"

Jumping to her feet, Lois stuffed the photo into her jacket and rushed toward the sound of Garth's voice. "What is it?"

"He's there! He's in the Fortress! Hurry! Before it's too late…"

Tbc…


	8. Chapter 8

Note: Hey all—next part. This is probably not what ya'll are expecting, but I hope you'll still stick with me and not hate me for it! There are some things that need to be handled/addressed before we go where we all want to go. Was that cryptic enough for everyone?? Your support/feedback has been beyond amazing!! Would love to hear what you think!!

**--**

**Chapter 8**

The light was blinding. The rush of wind in her ears, deafening. Hope swept though her, strong and swift. Her own whispered plea shivered through her. Reverberating through every cell. Becoming part of her. Of him. Rippling through the distance separating them.

"Hang on, Smallville. Don't give up on me. Not now. Not when we're so close…"

Then utter void.

One split second. Sparkling shards of crystal. A cold gust of wind. A warm light surrounding her. One heart ripping gaze into the face of destiny. Into _his_ broken, tear-stained face.

"Oh, Clark…"

She reached out, her arms wide. Her heart full. Her emotions on overload.

Then…

She felt the strong arms surrounding her waist. Trapping her. Pulling her back. Everything reversed. Struggling fiercely against the rock hard restraints, Lois' demand was incessant, loud, nearing hysteria.

"No! No! Dammit! I can see him! I can see…Clark!! CLARK!! Let me go! LET ME GO!!"

A voice sounded low in her ear. "Sorry, so sorry, Lois, I can't..."

Furious tears flooded her eyes as she blinked them open.

And saw the future all around.

Spinning around and pushing herself out of Rokk's arms, Lois' livid demand was repeatedly punched against a solid chest. "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR? I WAS ALMOST…." A sob wracked through her body and all her energy evaporated. She sagged against him, clinging to his shirt, to his strength. "Why…why…he was so…so close…"

In the space of a heartbeat, Rokk went from fighting Lois off to cradling her in his arms. His breathing was labored from the struggle and the swiftness of the shift. Unaccustomed to soothing anyone, let alone one as strong as Lois Lane, he awkwardly ran a hand over her hair, trying to calm her. To gentle her. "I'm sorry, Lois. So sorry. But he wasn't. He'd already left the Fortress."

She whimpered her response and sank to the ground, taking Rokk with her. Imra and Garth ran into the room and skidded to a halt at the sight of both of them, a tangled mess on the floor. Broken anger and helpless compassion met, mingled and divided.

"But…he _was_ there. Garth said…" A shattered Lois angrily wiped tears away from her face. Her ragged sigh filled the empty silence. "And I…I _saw_ him."

"What you saw was just an imprint in the fabric of time. An impression of what was." Rokk shook his head, his eyes filling with regret. "He was only there a few moments, Lois...it wasn't enough time. I'm sorry, but you know the rules. You _have_ to meet him in the Fortress. He _has_ to be alone."

"Screw your rules!" Lois yelled as she pushed him away from her. Jumping to her feet, she towered over him. "Send me back now! NOW, Rokk!"

"I..." He exchanged glances with his team mates. "…I can't."

"Then who can?" Lois persisted when silence greeted her question. "Someone makes these damn rules keeping me from Clark. Who is it?" She backed away till she was facing all three of them. Her gaze swept their faces, once full of concern, now suddenly masked by feigned indifference. "Who? I want to know now!"

"I believe, Lois Lane…" A smooth, silky voice sounded behind her.

Lois spun around and gasped.

"…that would be me."

Tbc…

p.s. For those expecting a reunion, please, please don't hate me for not giving one right away. I PROMISE I have a plan to bring them together that I really, really hope will be worth the wait. I need/want Clark to be a little more desperate for Lois than he is even at this point (or the point before this). Soooo, I hope you'll hang in there with me.


	9. Chapter 9

Note: Sorry all for the short chapters. Trying my best to keep them manageable so I can update more quickly. Thanks for hanging in there with me even though I keep throwing curves at you! You guys are the BEST!! This one is a slight step back in time for Clark's POV on what Lois just went through…kinda. Next chapter you'll find out who the mystery person is from chpt 8. ;)

**--**

**Chapter 9**

It had finally happened.

He was officially losing his mind.

He heard her voice.

Not that _that_ was an anomaly. It wasn't. Over the past few months, he'd heard it often. Over and over. In his head. In his dreams. Little things she'd said to him through the years. Lost in the drumbeat of time. Forgotten to everything but his heart.

They were his constant companion now.

"_Oh, we're friends now?"_

More than you know. More than I realized. The best and truest. The one and the only. The most trusted. The most cherished. Come back to me and I'll prove it. I'll shout the truth of it to the world.

"…_you haven't been saving for a bike, you've really been saving for a Harley._

A Harley.

Liberating. Powerful. Exhilarating. A symbol of freedom. Of unrestraint. Leaving a whirlwind of uninhibited dust in the wake of untapped passion. Of endless exploration.

To you, it's a Harley. To me…my Lois. The king of the road to describe the queen of my heart.

"_Where would we be if you'd answered that question?"_

Not alone. Not empty. Not crushed under the weight of this never ending nothingness. This void. This abyss. Not falling into dreams of you only to be pulled from the beauty of your steady heartbeat, my only solace. My sacred lullaby. Not living again for five glorious seconds before the deafening silence drowns out the last beat of your heart.

The last beat of mine.

"_A pity party. These are always fun..."_

That's the one that broke him. Angrily swiping the tears from his face, fierce resolve replaced helpless sorrow. He would _not_ allow his emotions to keep him from what he had to do. Not this time. Not ever again.

Lois was out there. Somewhere. He _would_ find her.

Or he would die trying.

He shot out of the Fortress in record speed.

That's when he heard it.

"_Hang on, Smallville. Don't give up on me. Not now. Not when we're so close…"_

The words slammed into his consciousness.

She'd never said _that_ to him before.

Clark skidded to a halt, spun around and flew back to the Fortress. On air. No thought. No fear. Just overwhelming, exhilarating hope.

He hovered over the frozen earth without even realizing it. His gaze, a constant sweep over the entire expanse of the crystal bastion as x-ray vision surveyed every inch. Every crevice. "Lois! LOIS! Lois, where are you? Are you here? LOIS!!!"

His questions echoed in the silence. Lilting upward on the wings of conviction. Fading into a hollow reminder of who he had become.

No one.

Not without her.

He was higher than he knew. His fall, harder than he anticipated. He came crashing back to earth with a thunderous groan. He felt solid ground give way under him then cradle him in its icy palm.

It had finally happened.

He was officially losing his mind.

Darkness threatened to overtake him as tears flooded his eyes for the second time in the space of an eternity. Clark gritted his teeth against the overwhelming loneliness. The heart searing ache. The pleading echo in his head.

"_Hang on, Smallville. Don't give up on me…"_

A ragged breath of irrational optimism. A jaw set by the sheer power of his will. A whispered promise as sacred to him as her name.

"Never. Never. Never…"

With that mantra on his lips, Clark shot straight out of the Fortress.

This time, with a roar of anguished determination that threatened to shake the world.

Tbc…


	10. Chapter 10

Note: Guys, I really am sorry this is taking so long. Things got seriously busy at work so I've not had time to get this exactly the way I wanted. Hope you enjoy! Thanks so much for the continued interest and support! Would LOVE to hear your thoughts!! :)

--

**Chapter 10**

"Oh, my God." Lois' surprise was genuine. And instantly turned to cautious apprehension. "You're…you're…"

"Liam Luthor…" An enigmatic smile touched his lips as he bowed low before her and tilted his head in recognition, never once deigning to lower his gaze from hers. "…at your service."

Though his words were of welcome, the dangerous glint in his icy blue eyes reminded her of a hungry predator that had just spotted his latest prey. A shiver ran down Lois' spine. She'd been in the presence of men like this before. Men who said one thing, but felt another. Men with smiles so sweet and words so enchanting, you'd never suspect the dagger being aimed at your back. Or the gun to your head.

Consummate politicians. Dangerously enticing dictators. Murders, thugs and thieves draped in the protected cloak of diplomacy.

Men obsessed with ruling the world.

Liam Luthor was such a man.

Lois tried to dismiss the panic punching her in the gut. Tried to ignore the number of armed guards silently filling the room. Tried to focus on the issue at hand.

_Hold on, Smallville. Not even a Luthor's gonna stop me from getting back to you..._

Though the League had welcomed her like a conquering hero, it was clear Liam Luthor would be less generous. And more ruthless. Much, much more.

"Luthor? As in Lex..." She didn't need to ask to know. A 3009 version of the very same was standing in front of her.

"Naturally." He affirmed, his chest puffing out proudly. "I am a descendant of the same, yes."

"Of course, you are. No one wears bald like a Luthor." Fully back in control, Lois' eyes flashed with determination. Her hands landed on her hips in an act of defiance. "So. You the man in charge here?"

"It would appear, Miss Lane…" Luthor smirked, his gaze sweeping over her in obvious disdain. "…that the history books have you all wrong."

"Oh, really? In what way?"

"You actually _are_ sharper than you look." He mocked.

She felt rather then saw the members of the League shift uncomfortably behind her. It sent a ripple of uncertainty through her. This was definitely not a situation she'd been warned of or even mentioned. She didn't even know a Luthor still existed in the world let alone held the power of her destiny in his grasping, soiled hands.

A lot of little things clicked into place. These rules handed to her by the League. The often exchanged looks between the three. The caution exerted in keeping her safely hidden. In telling her everything occurring in her world and what was only necessary in theirs.

She got the distinct impression, on this one at least, she was flying completely solo.

_Lois, please be careful. _It was Imra's voice. _He is not our friend. We, in fact, believe him to be an enemy, though we cannot prove it yet. We are as bound by his rules as you. Even more so. Unfortunately, in his presence, we cannot help you… _

So she'd been right. She was on her own.

Well, in which case, there were two ways to handle the situation. She could acquiesce, grovel, plead. Or fight for what was rightfully hers.

The decision wasn't difficult.

Lois Lane always had been a fighter.

And Clark Kent would always be hers.

She heard Imra's sigh of resigned pride echo through her as Imra's powers clearly read Lois' intentions.

_We will gladly follow you then. Wherever your decisions take us…_

Lois' shoulders squared. Her chin jutted out in defiance. "In that case, Mr. Luthor, I have a bone to pick with whoever runs this time travel circus of yours."

"Really? As I _am_ that man…" His lips tilted knowingly, his voice lowered tauntingly. "…do tell, Miss Lane."

"These rules…not really working for me. See, I want to go home. To my time, to my world. And _you_…" She pinned him with a knowing look. "…seem to be keeping me doing just that."

"I'm keeping you from Clark Kent, you mean."

"Yes. That too." Lois confirmed, her voice hardening. Her gaze gauging. "I'm sure you know enough about our history to know I belong with him."

"Yeees, I do know about history." The statement was non-committal. Placing his hands behind his back, Luthor's chest puffed out once more as he rocked back on his heels in apparent contemplation. Then he amended. "Well. The current one at least."

He paused to let that sink in. "Thing is, Miss Lane, I've never been a fan of _your_ history."

"_My_ history." Lois repeated with an upraised brow. "I take it things would be different in yours?"

"Oh, yes. Very different." Liam confirmed with a wistful purr. "See, I think your history is lame. It's riddled with weakness and tainted with impurities." A disdainful gaze swept over her.

She ignored the implication of that look.

"Tough. History is history."

A low chuckle filled the room. "Not when you can change it. Which, as Minister of Travel, I just happen to have the power to do. And now, with you in my grasp…" Taking a step closer, Luthor leaned into her, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper in her ear. "…I also have the means."

Lois swallowed hard and desperately tried to keep the anger boiling inside from making it to her voice. "Yeah? Wanna fill me in on what changes you'd make?"

A smirk. A sigh. He pulled back, his icy stare cutting through her. "Why, the heroine, of course."

Her gaze snapped to his in defiance. "And who would you cast in that role?"

His only answer was a smirk. And the snap of his fingers.

Sixteen armed guards stepped forward. Instantly on alert, Lois and the others tried to back away. With one nod of Liam's head, they were surrounded. Blocked. Seized.

And as the Lois and League were dragged out of the room kicking and screaming, Lois could hear his answer whispering through her mind like a resonating echo.

"Certainly…not...you."

Tbc…


	11. Chapter 11

Note: I know it seems like forever since I updated this or my other stories. I am truly, truly sorry. I have no excuse except life happened and the words left me. Hopefully they're back. And hopefully you'll enjoy the next chapter and will let me know if you think they are! :)

Thank you all so much for your continued interest as well as your enduring patience and unbending support!

Mercedes

------

**Chapter 11**

Clark Kent had no home.

No place to rest, to crumble. No place to nourish him or make him well. No place to feel safe and wanted. Needed.

Hugged.

The farmhouse was a distant memory. The Daily Planet, a place to secretly gather information. His mom's in D.C. was too unfamiliar, too distant from where his heart had taken root. The Talon…well, that was willingly discarded as a childhood haunt. At one time, the center of everything.

Now, his everything had vanished.

Without a trace.

No, he had no home.

That's why when he needed those moments of rest, of renewal, comfort…he came here.

To hers.

Where he could hear her voice the loudest.

_"Trust your gut."_

He wearily leaned back against the door to Lois' apartment and tossed the keys onto a nearby table as his eyes drifted closed. "My gut." Shaking fingers raked through thick, unkempt hair as his whispered sigh broke the eerie silence. "That's all I have left _to_ trust."

"You sure about that?"

Clark instantly tensed at the familiar voice and squinted into the darkness. His heart sank as his entire body coiled, ready to strike. Another unwelcome guest. Another confrontation. He saw movement, then snarled a command.

"Don't."

Oliver Queen's hand instinctively dropped from the table lamp. "So used to the shadows now you can't handle light any more?"

Clark ignored the lightly quipped observation.

"I thought I made myself clear. No more following me."

"I wasn't." If disconcerted by the overtly threatening tone—the suddenly dangerous tenor of the atmosphere—Ollie didn't show it. His answer was as smooth as his step when he moved into the light of the moon streaming through the double French doors leading to the balcony. "I just came to leave this for you."

Clark's gaze snapped to the item in Ollie's hand. It was square and draped in a black cloth. He shouldn't care. He shouldn't want to know. He shouldn't take anything offered from hands stained in blood.

_"Trust your gut."_

"What it is?"

"The key to finding Lois."

Ollie could feel the heat of Clark's intense gaze on his face. For a moment, he was actually afraid. There were still so many unresolved issues between them and from what Bart told him, with Clark's current state of mind, things could get…unpredictable.

Fast.

He really hadn't come here with any ulterior motives. He didn't even think he'd find Clark there. He was simply going to leave the box and a quick note with his number. It would be up to Clark to make the next move.

But here they were. In the same room. Wanting the same thing. Once friends, allies, now…who knew what.

Clark shifted suddenly. Ollie tensed instinctively.

"Bart said you were the last to lose hope."

"Apparently not." Ollie addressed the shadow quietly, meaningfully. "After talking to Bart, I've done more checking. Clark, I think you're right. I think she's still alive."

Not even the lack of sleep straining his voice could keep out the hint of hope that suddenly, cautiously flooded through him. "What makes you say that?"

"I called your mom."

"Why?"

"I know how these things work." Ollie shrugged then took his life in his hands and sank to the couch with the relaxed air of a stretching feline. He hoped the action would prompt a similar one from Clark.

Clark didn't budge. If anything, he tensed even more. Drawing himself further into the shadows. Cloaking his emotions in silence. His back was ramrod straight against the door, his hands in clenched fists by his side.

Ollie could only imagine what was going on in that head of his. And that heart.

_Distrust. Suspicion. Loathing._

Still, if Clark hadn't thrown him out yet, or attacked him, it was a safe bet he wanted to hear what he had to say.

_Hope. Desperation. Love._

With Lois Lane as the subject, he was sure of it.

"Any kind of major destruction like Doomsday wreaked and a special branch of the government that deals in unexplained phenomena is all over it, trying to understand it, analyze it...capture, study or kill anything that caused it. They would have run tests on numerous possibilities. And, in our case, they did. Your mom had to pull some very special strings with departments she didn't even know existed, but...the results are in."

"And?"

"There was an increased level of electromagnetic activity at the Daily Planet that night." Ollie paused a moment to let that sink in before continuing. "There's no conclusion, but terms like molecular structure alteration and displaced matter come into play. A lot. That's when I remembered."

"What?"

"Right after…everything…" Ollie paused, his own memory of the destruction he saw flashed before his eyes. He winced. "…before the government could get their hands on anything, I went to the Planet to see what I could find. Anything. Any clue on Lois…"

"And Tess."

Ollie's gaze snapped up at the implication. Two blazing balls of electric blue ice narrowed to slivers in the darkness, daring him to deny it.

Ollie, wisely, didn't take the dare. He nodded once, his gaze lowering. That was certainly one subject he didn't want to address, not even to himself. "And Tess."

"And?"

Apparently, he'd passed a test.

"And I found…this." He placed the object in his hand on the table and removed the cloth. "Does it look familiar?"

Pushing himself away from the door, Clark stepped out of the shadows.

Ollie lost his power of speech. He had expected bad. What he saw was downright unthinkable.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined quiet, unassuming farmboy Clark Kent…masked, hidden, secretive Clark Kent…would ever look so boldly unforgettable. One look at him and the image would be burned into a memory forever.

The sense of danger that surrounded him now was palpable. Barely restrained power crackled in the air around him. It was as if he'd come to terms with something primal. Something dark. Something…alien.

That wasn't all.

He was a man, shattered. Defeated. Raw. It went beyond the disheveled appearance. Was more than the dark, dangerous clothes, the longer, wavy hair or pale skin. Went beyond the fatigue weighing his shoulders down or the tension stringing through the veins in his neck, his arms like a terse rope pulled to the breaking point.

His eyes were...indescribably sad, lost.

And in utter torment.

He was barely hanging by a thread. [i]That[/i] much was obvious.

_Boy, when Lois Lane gets her hooks into a guy..._

But this wasn't just any guy. _This_ was _Clark._ The strongest man in the world.

Invulnerable. Indestructible. Invincible.

And he was bleeding inside.

Profusely. Profoundly.

Had Clark not spoken, Ollie would have continued to stare in horrified silence. But Clark's quiet admission broke the spell.

"It's a box I put in my desk drawer." Clark informed simply. His next statement held more. "It's empty."

"But it wasn't, was it?" Ollie queried, his eyes narrowing. He _knew _there'd been something to this box. If he'd only put two and two together sooner...

"No."

"Clark, what was in this box?"

Clark's gaze snapped upward, guarded. Distant. The reasons were obvious. "Why should I tell you? Just so you can shoot another arrow into my back?"

Ollie's lips pursed with the blow. He considered his answer. The answer that had been rolling around his brain and prickling his conscience for the past two months. It was the reason he hadn't stopped looking for Clark. The reason he now wanted, no _needed_, to help Clark find himself again. After all, he'd played a hand in isolating a man already alone in the world.

"You're right. I deserve that." Ollie stood slowly, cautiously.

Man to man. Eye to eye. Hero to hero. There was truth on both sides. The right and wrong done by both teetered and warred and finally tipped. In favor of unity. In favor of friendship. In favor of truth.

"Clark, I'm sorry. I was wrong. So very wrong...to kill Lex. You have no idea how I've regretted it, wanted to take it back. And...I should have never gone behind your back to the crew and ganged up on you. But, Clark, please understand. I didn't feel like I had any choice."

Arms crossed defensively in front of him, Clark judged him warily. "We always have a choice. You chose another side."

"I didn't want there to _be_ any sides between us, Clark." Ollie confessed openly. No accusation. No defense. Just facts. "But when you made it clear there were, I had to do what I felt was right." He paused before adding, "At the time."

Clark understood that pause. "And now?"

Helpless, unsure, Ollie shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, at least we have that in common."

Ollie's chest collapsed with a relieved breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "That's not the only thing, you know." He indicated the box on the table. "Clark, I want to help find her."

"No."

The decision came down swift and sharp. The issued command was harsh.

"Go now. And leave the box."

Summarily dismissed and expected to obey, Ollie watched as Clark proceeded to ignore him. Or forget him altogether. Suddenly, intently focused, Clark began a routine he'd obviously perfected over the last few months.

Shrug out of the leather jacket. Toss it to a side chair. Gather the latest mail into a pile. Separate the junk from legitimate. Add legit to another pile sitting on the kitchen counter. Toss junk. Enter the kitchen, grab a glass from the cabinet, fill it with water and pour it into the base of the one and only plant Lois had in her entire apartment. Return the glass to the cupboard...

"Man, you can't keep on like this." Ollie finally addressed the 800-pound elephant in the room. "Searching for her day and night, never stopping, not taking care of yourself. I mean…look at you. You're a wreck."

Clark blinked up at him. The confused…and growing increasingly annoyed…look on his face seemed to imply, 'you're still here?' In that moment, Ollie realized Clark really had forgotten all about him.

"Clark?"

"I'm fine."

Curt. Distant. Shutting down.

Clark crossed the distance of the living room, approaching the double French doors, becoming a shadowed reflection of the moon. He reached up to close the curtains pushed to one side.

Though potentially dangerous, Ollie pressed the point. "Look, you can lie to me all you want, just don't lie to yourself, ok? That's the last thing Lois needs."

_That_ got Clark's attention.

He sighed wearily, his shoulders dropping as a trembling hand ran through his hair, dislodging a mess of hair that fell in harsh curls across his wide brow. Pursing his lips in deep concentration, or fierce irritation...Ollie wasn't sure which...Clark's haunted gaze found a distant silver ball in the night sky. Round, full, shimmering.

It suddenly became the center of his world.

Ollie gentled his tone. "Take the help I'm offering. Please, Clark. I'm afraid if you don't, there won't be anything left for Lois to come back to."

Seconds passed in silence. Then a minute. When Clark finally spoke, it was in a pained whisper.

"It doesn't really matter. I don't intend for her to come back to me."

That was clearly the last thing Oliver expected to hear. Especially given Clark's months-long, single-minded, desperate quest to find her. "What? But…"

"She deserves more than…" Clark bit back his statement and into his bottom lip so hard it turned white. He amended his thought and turned to Ollie, a broken man. "She deserves more."

"Lois would disagree." Ollie responded quietly. "Surely you know how she feels about you by now. And I know you feel something for her too, Clark."

"_Something_?" A harsh chuckle escaped him. His head lowered with a weary and shattered shake. His breath caught then released in hesitant, shaky ripples. "I wish it were _only_ something. Then maybe I could…"

"You're in love with her."

Clark's head snapped up, his eyes shadowed with intense emotion. "Yes."

"So in love you can't see a future without her. Or anything, for that matter."

Clark's hard swallow was answer enough.

"It's bigger than anything you've ever known. Deeper than anything you've ever felt. You need her like you need air. Crave her like a drug. Love her like…"

"Stop." Eyes squeezed shut against the words reverberating through him…anchoring him, making him soar, echoing the sweetest torture through his shattered and bruised heart. His wounded and bleeding soul. The command was an agonized plea. "Please, just…stop."

Ollie's conclusion was not hard to reach. "You won't be able to do it. You won't be able to look in her eyes then walk away."

"I'll do what I have to do." A whisper.

Clark started to turn away but the sheer conviction in Ollie's voice stopped him.

"To what? Keep her safe?" Memories of a recent conversation flooded him. "Clark, Lois doesn't want to be safe, she wants to be loved. She wants to be needed. More than anything...she wants to be needed...by you."

"Oliver..."

Stopping Clark's protest before it even began, Ollie's open gaze met Clark's, pinning him with the truth. "Clark, man, _I_ couldn't do it, and I wasn't even in as deep as you so obviously are."

There was no defense to that. No counter. No denying.

He didn't even try. He had no energy left. No strength. No more fight.

Clark deflected, asking a question of his own. Needing to know the answer. "Why here? Out of all the places I could go, why did you come here to leave the box?"

"Because it's where I'd come if I wanted to feel close to her."

Simple, honest, open.

Clark let that one sink in.

Maybe, just maybe, he and Oliver Queen weren't so different after all.

For if anyone understood what it was like to hide, to lie, for something greater than yourself. If anyone felt the weight of being a leader, a hero. To face the hardest decisions in life. Decisions few ever would. To make them. To hope and pray they'd been the right ones. If anyone understood walking away, denying oneself.

If anyone knew what it was like to love Lois Lane…

Feeling another shift in the air, Ollie surmised his time with Clark was coming to a rapid close. One more pitch. One more plea. "Clark, please. I'll do anything to help find her. It's up to you now…to let me."

He turned to go.

_"Trust your gut."_

And made it halfway to the door.

"A ring."

Ollie stopped instantly. "What?"

Clark had turned back to the night. To the full moon hanging, like him, by a thin thread in the vast, inky darkness. It seemed to be his solace. His only connection to a lost soul.

"You wanted to know what was in the box. It was a ring."

Ollie took the information for what it was. The gift of a tentative new beginning. "A ring for..."

"Traveling to any point in time."

Ollie blinked in surprise, unsure he'd heard Clark correctly. "Time travel, Clark? But..."

"Believe me, it's more than possible." Clark's Adam's apple bobbed painfully. "It's been done."

"Do you think Lois..."

"I don't know." It was a whisper of uncertainty. Of hope. "Molecular structure alteration. Displaced matter…"

Uncertain excitement filtered through Ollie's voice. "If she did, where would she have landed?"

"My guess?" Clark turned to Oliver, his blue eyes devastated and drained. "The year 3009..."

tbc...


	12. Chapter 12

Note: Hey all! Here's the next part. I hope you enjoy! Thank you, thank you for your overwhelming support and very kind feedback!! It keeps me writing! :) Please let me know what you think!!!

--

**Chapter 12**

"Man, we have so royally screwed this thing up…"

"Garth."

"Don't 'Garth' me!" Effectively ending the pacing that had occupied his time since being shoved into the blue orbed prison cell with his team, Garth swung around to face Rokk. Anger flashed in his eyes. "You know it, I know it. And soon, when our entire world crumbles into a pile of ash, everybody else will know it too!"

Rokk sighed, feeling the weight of Garth's accusations. Garth was the over-excitable one in the group. This time, however, he wasn't exaggerating. Rokk's own response, meant to reassure, sounded hollow. Even to his own ears. "We did what we could."

"What we could?" Garth took a challenging step forward. "What we could?!"

Jumping to his feet, Rokk met the challenge. "You know as well as I do the last thing we expected was Lois coming through that time warp. We were prepared to battle evil and instead…"

"We met the most amazing woman we've ever known! She and Kal-el are the very _foundation_ of our world, Rokk!" Garth exploded. "And all she wanted to do from the second she got here was to get back to Kal-el and we…no, _you_ stopped her!"

"_We_ saved her life, Garth!" Rokk shot back. "If she'd gone back right then, Doomsday _would_ have killed her and then where we be? At least now, we have hope."

"Hope." Garth scoffed. "In case you've not picked up on it, dude, Liam Luthor has her in his evil little hands. I can't even imagine what he's doing to her right now."

"She's fine." The calm of Imra's voice cut through the tension like a knife. From her position on the floor, her haunted blue eyes rose to connect with those of her teammates. "For now, at least."

Garth dropped to his knees in front of her, his expression animated with hope. "You can talk to her? I…I thought when they separated us Liam would take her to the Chamber. To block her mind."

"He has." Imra confirmed. A small, proud smile titled her lips. "She's a strong one."

"Can she hear you?"

Imra nodded.

"Tell her we're sorry. Tell her…tell her we're going to get her out of this. Tell her…"

A gentle hand on Garth's shoulder stopped his frantic rambling. "She knows, Garth. She does not blame us."

Garth opened his mouth to speak, but was halted by the look on Imra's face. "Shhh. She's speaking."

_Any word on that help you promised? I'd really rather not face baldy again if I don't have to._

I've already made contact, Lois. Help will be there very soon. Just hang on.

Hanging on, I can do. Fighting, I don't know. They have me pretty strapped down right now. And this contraption I'm in…

It's called the Chamber. It's not a good place.

I didn't think scumbag put me in here for a picnic. Lois' sigh was deep and resigned. _You know, this is so typical of me. I'm always doing stuff like this. Ending up in trouble because I rush into things. Because I don't think…_

Lois, what are you talking about?

If I hadn't fought with Tess. Hadn't picked up that ring...

We wouldn't have met and you wouldn't know your destiny.

Destiny is destiny, right? Eventually, it would have found me. A pause. _But I would have missed the meeting you guys part. Is Garth with you?_

Yeah.

Is he ok?

Imra smiled at Lois' concern. _Physically he's fine._

And otherwise?

Frantic for what you're going through.

Tell him I'm good. But I won't be if my numero uno fan doesn't chill. Last thing I need is him joining me in here. I need as much help as I can get on the outside of this thing.

Her smile deepened. Restrained, scared and still finding a way to reach out to comfort others. To make them feel needed. Her bravery knew no limits. No wonder Kal-el needs her so much.

_I'll tell him. _

Another pause.

_You know, I think this deserves a new rule in my book when I get home._

Clearly, Lois was a talker. Especially when she was nervous.

_You mean your Rules of Reporting?_

No, this one's more personal. It has stuff like…don't date homicidal maniacs, murderous mind readers, mobsters, that sort of thing.

Oh.

So, I'm thinking a variation of 'don't put strange things in your mouth.' Maybe something about strange rings and how you never know where they may take you…

Lois, none of this is your fault. It's ours.

Yours.

After the first time we went back in time to warn Kal-el, we were forbidden to do so again. Rokk broke the rules when he returned to warn him about Doomsday, essentially making us enemies of the State.

Enemies. Lois paused, obviously mulling that news over. It didn't take her long to reach a conclusion. _Well, it saved Clark's life. So…I, for one, am glad he did. _Silence stretched on longer then expected.

Imra wondered if the Chamber's power had begun to work after all. _Lois?_

_I just don't get it. Why would that be against the rules? To warn the world's greatest superhero of his impending death…you did the right thing._

Not according to Liam Luthor.

That was enough to pique her interest. That and the fact, he was held the very large key to her very unique jail. _Tell me about him. Why is he so determined to turn the pages of history in a different direction? And in exactly what direction does he want to turn them?_

Imra paused. This was one discussion she'd been trying to avoid. Had things worked as planned Lois would have never had to know…certain things. As things stood now, there was no other choice but to tell her the truth.

Imra took a deep breath. _Lois, besides being a Luthor, he's also a descendant of..._

Yeah?

Lana Lang.

Wow. Lois breathed. _Didn't see that one coming. Especially given how much Lana hates Lex._

Hatred and family rivalries have a tendency to fade through the years. And several generations have passed from then till now. It was Liam's great-grandparents, Lucas Luthor and Linda Lang that brought two families back together.

Well. I guess some things are just meant to be, right? Lois quipped, though it was clear the news disturbed her.

_That's the problem, Lois. Liam believes destiny was cheated when Kal-el chose you._

Cheated how?

He's part of a faction, a small faction, that believes you came in between Kal-el and his true destiny.

That being?

Lana.

Right. Of course. She sounded disgusted.

_There's more. _

Imra could hear Lois pull in a ragged breath, steeling herself. _Hit me with it._

Liam is not only part of this faction, he is, in fact, the leader of it. They long for a return to the past, Lois. A return that would place Lana by Kal-el's side. Not to save the world…but to rule it.

Rule it.

With Kal-el's powers and…Lana's…

Whoa. Wait. Back up. She swallowed hard. _Lana has powers?_

Acquired recently in your time, yes.

And these powers?

Are very much like Kal-el's. Making her…in the minds of Liam and his followers…a perfect match.

I see. Lois' silence was deafening.

Lois wasn't an idiot. She knew Clark. Despite all she'd seen here in this world, she knew his long-held dreams, his feelings. It wasn't hard for her to put two and two together and come up with a disconcerting four.

While she'd been in Star City…Lana had been in Smallville. With Clark. And when she'd returned…the mixed signals were…well, off the charts. They'd been driving her insane, in fact. Now, she knew why. Liam wasn't the only one that had seen Lana's powers as the answer to everything…

Imra could only guess what Lois was thinking. And feeling. When she finally did speak, it was not with a question Imra expected. _How does Lana being with Clark aid Luthor's cause?_

He plans to marry their daughter and take control of the world.

Their daughter. Lois repeated, a new layer of disgust filtering through her voice. She pushed it aside to focus on the issue at hand…not only saving Clark in their world, but saving him from this one as well. _But if he succeeds in getting Lana and Clark…if he succeeds in his plan, wouldn't that alter his own reality? After all, his own lineage is the direct result of a Luthor-Lang union._

No, it wouldn't. As the Minister of Time Travel, he could easily suspend himself in a time warp until he was ready to put his plan in motion. In that one aspect, he has ultimate control. History could change a million times and he would still remain the same. At his bidding, he could then enter her world, her time, to gain her without suspicion.

How could someone so evil gain such power in a world like yours?

Because the Luthors spent generations revamping their images. And…

And?

And because he's secretly a master of mind manipulation.

Great. Well, I guess that gives me an idea what I'm in for.

Lois, I'm so sorry. We hadn't planned for you to be here long enough to be affected by any of this.

It's not your fault. Dismissing Imra's apology with a mental flick of her hand, Lois' focus became clear. _Look. Imra, you said something earlier about how you didn't have proof. What kind of proof would you need?_

A goal snapped into focus.

_I…I don't know. Something major, something big enough that Luthor couldn't talk or manipulate his way out of it. Something that the Council of Justice would believe._

A plan formed.

_Something like, say…kidnapping and torturing Superman's wife for the purpose of changing history and ruling the world?_

Imra gasped at the thought. _Lois, no. Lois, you can't just…_

What? Save Clark? Maybe that's why I'm still here, Imra. Maybe I have to save him from this world before I can deserve him enough to go back.

Lois, you're already everything he needs. You don't have to prove anything. So, don't even think about... 

A peace born of conviction sealed her determination.

_Too late. He's back. He's brought reinforcements. And he's looking pretty pissed. _

Imra began to plead. _Lois, please don't. Just sit tight until help comes. Don't do anything to anger him. To push him into revealing his true self. It won't do any good. You have no idea what he's capable of._

Looks like I'm about to learn. A pause. _A softened voice. Good-bye, Imra._

_Lois! Lois, no! NO!_

Another voice entered her mind. Breaking through her panic. Issuing a deep, resonating command.

_Let her go, Imra. She's with me now. There's nothing more you can do._

Tbc…

p.s. I sense some of you are getting _really_ anxious for a Clois reunion so I've altered some plans on this story and hope to have a reunion to you in the next few chapters. Sorry, that's the best I can do with how I've written this so far and still make it make sense. Hope you'll stick with me till then. I promise to do my very, very best to give a reunion worth the wait.

wait.


	13. Chapter 13

Note: Next chpt. Sorry it's been so long on this and my other stories. Hopefully I'm back in the groove now.

Hope you enjoy even though it's all angsty right now. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks much for the feedback and support!!

--

**Chapter 13**

Clark Kent was devastated.

In a way he hadn't been for two months.

There was something about the absence of anything—clues, theories, proof of her demise—that had relentlessly hounded him. Pushed him beyond limits. Drove him into every dark corner, each shadow of the world.

To search for her. To hope. To believe.

But now that a vague 'something' had formed?

What if he was wrong? What if she wasn't in 3009, but in some random moment in time? Past. Future. It would all be the same to him. And now, instead of one world to search, there were multitudes. Each with their own unique set of circumstances, customs, historical context. Where to begin? When? The endlessness of time made the possibility of it utterly…impossible.

And if he was right…if Lois really was in the year 3009…

Wouldn't the Legion have sent her back by now? And if they hadn't, what did that mean? Was she ok? Or had something happened to her during the transfer? Worse yet…did she like their world better then her own? He wouldn't blame her if she did. God knew he hadn't given her any reason to stay grounded here, in his world, by his side.

Questions, questions, questions bombarded him with no relief.

And no answers.

The weight of it all bore down on him, breaking him. The helplessness. The hopelessness. The impossibility of it all. Wave after wave crashed into him, keeping him off balance. Crushing him into desperate listlessness. He'd heard of this before, but he'd never known what it was like.

To drown.

Until now.

For the bitter truth was, even if the answer was as simple as Lois being in the year 3009…

He had no way to reach her.

None.

No magical rings to drop him into a time he'd never known. No direct line to a Legion that had already come to his rescue more than he deserved. Even if he did, there was no guarantee they'd answer. He certainly must have reached some random 'save-the-hero' quota by now.

And speaking of answering…he could count Jor-el out. On that front, his welcome had been worn out a long time ago. Bringing Lana back. Extricating Brainiac from Chloe's mind. Begging him for this life or another. Railing against him till a favor was reluctantly dispensed. Repeatedly disobeying direct orders.

If there was a box in a situation like this, he thought outside of it.

He'd contacted Dr. Hamilton. A piqued interest and the promise to begin searching was the result. But time travel was not the doctor's expertise and after all, what was a promise when time was rapidly slipping away?

Ollie called Zatanna. To no avail. She knew of no spells, past or present…dark or innocuous…that opened portals of time. She would make calls, consult her father's book, but no guarantees were forthcoming. Sensing Clark's growing agitation and desire to be alone, Ollie joined her to help in the search.

No, there was no way.

Even his dreams told him that.

It didn't matter how they started, what the setting…whether fog so thick it swallowed his breath or walls so high they went on forever or a forest full of thorns and grasping tree branches clawing at his skin…they all ended the same.

With Clark jolting upright. Panting for breath. Screaming her name.

And feeling utterly, helplessly alone.

Such was Clark's state of mind when the sound of keys turning in the door catapulted him from the relative comfort of Lois' bed.

--

She closed the door behind her and drew in a deep, rattling breath as tears clouded her eyes and threatened to fall. Valiantly blinking them back, she knew a full out mental break down would be the last thing Lois would want.

When would it all end? The losing. The pain. The utter loneliness of it all.

She'd lost everyone now. Jimmy. Clark. Oliver and his team. And now…Lois.

Officially.

She'd spent the last three hours trying to convince herself the body at the Metropolis Morgue was, in fact, not her cousin. But she couldn't get past the evidence before her eyes. The small birthmark on her hip. The dental records that matched perfectly. Then there was Lois herself.

So still. So lifeless. So cold.

They said she'd been in a car accident in Star City. Why she was there no one knew. She'd been found without identification and was admitted to the hospital as a Jane Doe. For the past two months, she'd been in a coma, hanging in that hazy world between life and death.

Death finally claimed her.

And Chloe Sullivan had to accept that.

On some level, she already had. The endless searching with no results, the memorial service, the sympathies she still received on a daily basis. These all laid the foundation. Lois' body just confirmed what her reluctant heart had already known.

Her cousin was gone. And there was nothing she could do to bring her back.

A tear made its way down Chloe's face. She absently wiped it away and looked around her. Lois' apartment. She'd hadn't lived there long, but she'd seemed happy here. Comfortable. At home.

Not that Chloe knew from first hand experience.

Guilt settled like a gentle cloak around her then hammered its way into her bones. She'd only been here once since Lois chose the place. The past several months had been full of everything. Lies, danger, sacrifices. And glaring absent of one thing. Good old fashioned cous time.

And now, that time would never come again.

Oh, what she had lost. What she had squandered.

Now, it was Chloe's job to pack up a life. Every hint that Lois Lane had existed was to be placed in boxes and discarded like yesterday's news. Just like Jimmy's had been. Like Davis'…

She immediately turned her thoughts from that dangerous path and focused on the task at hand. Dropping the boxes into a pile on the floor, she reached for the first thing she saw.

A picture frame.

Lois and Clark with the Daily Planet sign behind them. Clark was holding a newspaper in front of him, pointing to a headline he'd obviously masterminded. He was grinning from ear to ear. At Lois. Eyes sparkling. With a hint of smugness. Taunting her.

And Lois? Hands on her hips, she was rolling her eyes at him in her characteristically Lois way. But that smile of hers. It held a hint of pride. A hint of teasing adoration and begrudging respect that only one Clark Kent could weasel out of her.

Chloe's chest rose and fell with a pang of regret. A twinge of jealousy. The Dynamic Duo. What a team. So much wasted potential. So much wasted time. She shook her head and started to put the frame in the box.

A gust of wind.

The photo disappeared from her hand.

Blinking rapidly, Chloe spun around in a full circle, unable to see anything. Hope jump started her heart. She would know that gust of wind anywhere. "Clark? Clark where are you?"

"What are you doing here?"

Her head snapped in the direction of his voice. So cold. So distant. Swallowed in the darkness of the bedroom doorway.

"What are you?" She countered.

"It's Lois' home. Where else would I be?" He said it so simply. As if that were the only thing in the world that made sense. His voice lowered dangerously sending a shiver slipping down her spine. "I'll ask again. What are you doing here?"

Squinting into the shadows she slowly approached him. It had been months since she'd seen him. Talked to him. Their last conversation still haunted her. After searching for him, not finding him, here he was. Out of the blue. In the shadows.

She had no idea what she was dealing with. And until she did…

"I uh…I got a call from the landlord's wife. She said the rent was coming due and told me I needed to get Lois' things packed."

"_You_ are not moving her out."

"What?"

"You're _not_ touching her things."

"But Clark…"

"And you're lying to me." A pause. A conclusion. "Again."

The accusation hit her like a jolt. She scrambled for something, anything to say. "What? But, Clark…"

"I've already paid the rent to the landlord. Just like I've done the past two months." He answered her unspoken question.

"Clark, why would you do that?"

"Why would you lie to me?"

"Clark, I…"

"You know what? Don't even try to explain. Just leave."

She heard movement and knew she was about to lose him. She couldn't do that. Not after everything else. No, Clark Kent was the one person in her life she would fight to the death for.

And had.

"Clark, I can't do that." Her voice cracked with emotion. "Do you have any idea just how long we've been looking for you? How many places we've gone? I'm worried about you." If she wasn't enough to pull him back into her world, perhaps _she_ would be. Chloe brandished her trump card. "And I'm not the only one, Clark. Lana still loves…"

"_Don't_ say _her_ name! **Not** _here_."

The reaction was explosive. His actions swift. A whirlwind catapulted him from the shadows to the source as if he were trying to reach the words and erase them before they had a chance to settle in. Before the name took root. Before it tainted a sacred place.

And Chloe Sullivan stood face to face with a stranger.

She'd never felt so cold in her life. Or so scared. She couldn't even recognize her best friend in the face of the man standing in front of her. In all the different incarnations of Clark Kent she'd seen through the years, this was one was altogether different.

Twisted with disgust and grief, all the gentle boyish features had melted away leaving raw, hard lines. The power emanating from him was threatening. Dangerous. Coiled and ready to strike. And at the same time, it was clear he'd taken a beating. Oh, his body was still as solid as ever, but exhaustion clung to him now like a wet t-shirt. Exposing every ripple in his over-taxed spirit.

Tight and unbending, his lips offered nothing. His eyes even less. Two piercing blue-green balls of devastating lifelessness. And yet they burned with an intensity Chloe had never seen.

Chloe gasped. "Clark? My God, what has happened to you?"

With a derisive scoff, Clark spun on his heels and tossed a command over his shoulder. "Leave, Chloe."

He was about to disappear again. To shut her out. She rushed forward, clinging to him like a child to an abandoning father.

"No! No, I'm not going to leave! Not until you tell me what's going on." She tried to spin him around. His strength was much greater than hers. So she rushed him, rounded him, blocked him. "Clark, listen to me. Listen! No one blames you for what happened to Jimmy, ok? It wasn't your fault, Clark. It wasn't! We were all faced with an impossible situation. We did the best we could do!"

"The best we…" Clark stopped himself just short of engaging. Then he exploded. "Lies! Lies and manipulations and hiding the truth! Stabbing each other in the back! And where did it get us? People we love are dead. People we can't live without are lost. _We're_ lost." A ragged breath. A broken voice. "_I'm_…lost." His lips began to quiver and his eyes brightened with unexpected wetness. "If _that's_ the best we can do…then God help us all."

He tried to sidestep her. She blocked his way.

"Clark, please. Please talk to me. We don't have to be alone, Clark. I can help you get through this. We can do this together. Please, just talk to me. Where have you been? What have you been doing? And why are holding on to this place like…"

"What?!" Clark shook her off him like she was nothing more than a ragdoll. His eyes blazed with fury. "Like Lois is going to return?"

"Yes!"

"Because she is!"

"Oh, Clark…" Chloe shrank from the sheer force of his belief. Tears clouded her vision. "Clark…Lois isn't coming back."

"You say that so easily." A snarled accusation.

"Easily?" Chloe bristled. Grief and anger surged through her. "_Nothing_ about the past three hours has been easy, Clark! But you would know that. You would know if you'd been there for me! If you'd stopped this…"

"This what?" He shot back.

"I don't know. You tell me." Broken by the relentless waves of harsh dismissal, Chloe shook her head as another tear fell. This time, for the loss of her best friend. "Clark, what are you doing to yourself?"

"It's not your concern. Now leave."

Lois' photo pressed tightly to his heart, Clark brushed past her. Back to the darkness. Back to the haven of Lois' room. The door slammed, effectively ending their reunion.

Chloe stood a moment in indecision.

She felt like she'd been struck by lightning. Too shocked too move. Too restless to stand still. Her gaze flittered around the room. Trying to make sense of this. Of anything.

That's when she saw it. A large map spread out on the table. Tiny flags were taped to different locations around the world. Words were attached to the flags. Words that, separately, meant very little. But taken together as a whole…

It was Lois' life.

Every place she'd ever lived. Every trip she'd ever taken. Every dream spot she'd ever mentioned wanting to visit.

Suddenly, Chloe knew exactly what Clark Kent had been doing for the past two months.

Next to the map was a notepad. At the top, the words "Things to Do".

And then a list.

_Take her to Monster Truck rally_

_Get the bracelet_

_Memorize the lyrics to at least one Whitesnake song_

_Take her to a concert_

_Fly with her_

_Show her heaven_

_Ask the girl out (after all, that's what a boy does...)_

Even more, Chloe understood why.

Her eyes filled with tears. Her heart ripped in two. Everything in her begged to not be the one. To not have the burden of telling him. To not look into his eyes when he finally embraced the awful truth.

Lois Lane was dead.

Her cousin. His love.

And yet, who else could it be?

She wiped her eyes, squared her shoulders, turned to Lois' room…

And prepared to break Clark Kent's heart.

All over again.

Tbc…


	14. Chapter 14

Author note: Well, all-here's the next part. Apparently, I never posted this here...so very sorry. I skipped Chloe actually telling Clark about Lois but will address that convo later. I have a certain way this is going in my head and really, really hope I'm conveying it clearly. Would LOVE to hear what you think and thank you again for your amazing support and feedback!

**Chapter 14**

The stage had been set.

The trap had been laid.

The curtain had been raised.

One actor, disguised in the simple white frock opened the scene, leading the hero onto the stage. To the cold, metal table. To the sheet covered figure at the center of the plot .

She removed the sheet, introducing a new character.

Then she watched him. Furtively, from under lowered lids, she gauged the level of his distress. She was not pleased. Then again, she was not the average observer. _And_ she had faced him before.

The cousin had been an easy target. But _this_ one…

She knew the strength of his resolve when he believed himself to be right. She had felt his intense connection with another. Felt it even now as he stared at the lifeless form. It was a connection that was both instinctive and protective. He would not reveal before a stranger what he himself was loathed to admit.

Sensing his need for solitude before that tried and true resolve would crumble, she murmured a few consoling words then exited stage left…

…to join an invisible audience…

…to watch…

…to listen…

…and to wait.

The smell of death was all around him.

In the air. In his clothes. On his breath.

He couldn't escape it. Not now. Not ever.

An isolated figure in the center of the stark, sterile room with a light above him so bright it hurt his eyes, the darkness that had been nipping at his heels for the past two months, took him over.

Finally. Completely.

In his entire life, he had never been more shattered. More lost. More alone.

Even if...

...someone was watching him.

Which was impossible.

The room he was in had one entrance and no windows. No cameras were visible to the naked _or_ x-raying eye. Of that, he'd made sure. And the coroner's assistant had blissfully left him in a solitary state.

Alone.

But he could feel it nonetheless. The weight of their stares. The prickles at the back of his neck. The sharp nails of malicious observation ripping into his back. Alerting him to danger. To countless smirks. To their utter delight at his ultimate loss.

Who it was and for what reason, he didn't know.

He didn't care.

How could he when he was...

Numb.

He had seen her body. Was seeing it now.

Cold. Stiff. Pale.

Dead.

Just as dead as he'd declared himself to be. But even his declaration hadn't conjured _this_ up. From the inside out, the outside in. From head to toe, fingers to heart.

Clark Kent's life was slipping away from him.

The endless silence crawled over his skin like a disease. Agony ripped through him with excruciatingly slow precision. Slashing everything he'd been holding on to. Drawing blood. The taut tightrope he'd been carefully balancing, was shaking and quivering. Breaking, cord by fragile cord. A black hole of despair opened up beneath him, threatening to swallow him whole.

He resisted the temptation to give in if only for one more moment.

One more touch.

On auto pilot, he reached out and gathered one lifeless hand in his. His other lightly ran through the long hair, down the bloodless cheek, to brush across the blue, unmoving lips.

Unmoving lips.

Bone-dry eyes bubbled with tears.

That Lois Lane would never speak again. That her incessant chatter would no longer echo through the holes of his existence. That her smile would never again fill him up and take him over…

It was unthinkable.

And yet, the proof was before his eyes.

_It…can't be. Can it? She's in the future. She's…unreachable, but still alive._

But what if she wasn't? What if the Legion _had_ sent her back? Sent her back to a place, a time, a situation that was untenable? That she couldn't escape. Where he hadn't been. Where _he_ hadn't saved her.

The one thought he'd consistently rejected for two months sprang unbidden to his mind.

_What if she's really gone? Gone forever? How will I possibly…survive?_

His chin trembled like a child's. His lips quivered with words he'd never say. His sighs were rippling waves of anguish and grief.

In every moment of the past two months, there had been two truths that had kept him going. Two undeniable facts that had been the very underpinnings of his unwavering belief.

Lois Lane would not leave him. Not willingly. And not without notification. She was too direct, too honest and brave to slink away in the middle of the night. Even if she felt things between them were too rocky or uncertain to address, she was still there. By his side. As his partner, his friend.

Beyond that, they were connected. In ways he'd never been connected to anyone before. Instinctively. Intensely. Irreversibly. It was like there was an invisible, yet tangible thread between them, binding heart to heart, soul to soul, life to life.

How and when this all became a part of him, he didn't know. But it was real. As real as Lois Lane. As real as Lois and Clark…together.

As long as he was still breathing, she was alive. As long as she was alive…he was still breathing.

Then he saw her pale face.

And the air was sucked out of his reality.

He felt his will begin to bend. His hope begin to crack and crumble and fall into a pile of dust at his feet. That unshakable belief that his life was connected to hers, that they moved through the universe as one, went up in flames.

And the eyes laughed at him. Raucous, taunting laughter. Mocking his belief. Deriding the depths of his longing. His excruciating pain.

They could go on laughing for all he cared. It was part of him now. The sorrow, the grief. The inconsolable ache in the center of his being. Nothing and no one would ever fill it. Nothing and no one would ever take it away.

The stench burned his nostrils. His gut wrenched. Bile rose and stuck in his throat.

He wanted to flee, but his muscles wouldn't respond to the desperate need. He wanted to crawl into her and let his life ebb away to her peaceful shore. Wanted to melt away into nothing, to not feel thisunbearable, sickening…_nothingness_.

But Destiny demanded his presence.

And something deep inside of him bowed to its command.

Despite it all, he was still there. Solid. Unmoving. Alive.

_Impossible. That I still feel..that my heart still beats...without her...that I'm even standing..._

He pulled his gaze away, needing to look at something...anything...

And instantly regretted it.

Anything, but _that_.

His reflection in the dark mirror.

Alarmingly pallid. Glaringly vacant. Tortured. Distorted and unrecognizable. He looked every bit the hollow man that he'd become. Cruel, hard lines of agony cut into his expression like invisible scars. His eyes were empty, dull…haunted. His stance austere and imposing. Suddenly, and all too clear, a vision formed through the haze of grief. A vision of his future…

Without Lois.

He quickly looked away, unable to bear it.

And the self-loathing set in. The guilt. The dark thoughts of destruction.

"How can I even exist?" Here on this planet, in this life…

_Hang on, Smallville. _

"Still breathe…"

_Don't give up on me._

"Why haven't I disappeared…"

_Not when we're so close._

Her voice rippled through his mind and weaved itself in and out, out and in, through the holes of his heart. Through the tears in his soul.

Something wasn't right. Something didn't fit. _If_ she was dead, he wouldn't be able to hear her. If she was dead, he would _know_. _If_ she was dead, he would be with her.

_Because if she was dead...I would be too. _

As realization slammed into him with a force that nearly dropped him to his knees, his gaze eagerly flickered back to the woman's face. And narrowed. Looking for a sign, for a signal, a discrepancy. For something that would indicate the absurdity of his thoughts were anything but borderline insane.

No reassurance came.

But the ironies of life did.

To gain, you have to give. To win, you have to lose. To live…

…you have to die.

He felt the unseen eyes narrow in anticipation. Heard their inaudible intake of breath.

The endless silence crawled over his skin like a disease. Agony ripped through him with excruciatingly slow precision. Slashing everything he'd been holding on to. Drawing blood. The taut tightrope he'd been carefully balancing, was shaking and quivering. Breaking, cord by fragile cord. A black hole of despair opened up beneath him, threatening to swallow him whole.

His jaw set. His eyes blazed. His heart thundered with renewed purpose.

Then Clark Kent surrendered to the inevitable...

And embraced the dark path that spread out before him like a newly strung tightrrope high above a deadly abyss. He leaned in, his lips hovering gingerly over the deafened shell, whispering a promise as sacred as his own grave.

"Soon, Lois, soon. I promise. One way or another…we _will_ be together…"

The stage had been set.

The trap had been laid.

The hero had played his part.

Three pairs of eyes turned her way. Two, openly mocking. A third, cold, hard and full of questions.

"He did not break." Zod's commanding voice was steady, but displeased.

"She is not dead." Maxima responded simply, confidently.

Zod's gaze shifted to the ethereal screen, hazy with mist, now void of any action. Only one lifeless form on a cold, metal table remained. "He has proof now that she is."

"Yes." Maxima's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "But what is false proof against true love?"

"_That_ makes absolutely no sense." Tess rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "In fact, none of this has made sense." She leaned forward, an accusatory finger pointed in Maxima's direction. "_You_ said if we presented Lois Lane's body it would prove your point. That Clark Kent would crumble into nothing. So we did, and...and it barely phased him!"

"Oh, it did more than phase him." Maxima maintained the cool reserve of a skilled manipulator. "Even I felt the impact."

"Yes." Lex chimed in, his eyes light with sudden understanding and disbelief. "Yes, he was affected. Perhaps more than I've ever seen him."

Taking in Lex's affirmation and tilting his head to the side in contemplation, Zod's eyes narrowed in uncertainty. "Still, it did not destroy him as you promised."

"It was not her body, dear Zod." Maxima cooed as she reached over and lightly touched his hand. "A fact, that only one as connected to her as Kal-el is...would ever know."

"A connection we can now use." Lex commented softly. "Once we find the real Lois Lane."

A slow, understanding smile spread over tight, cruel lips. With one silent nod of permission, the makings of a new play had begun.

Tbc...


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Note:

All-I know it's been, well, beyond forever on this story. I truly apologize and I really hope to be able to keep this going. To do that, I'm going to TRY to keep the chapters shorter so I can get them out more quickly. I can't even begin to thank those of you still holding on for your patience and support. You guys are beyond amazing! THANK YOU!

Hugs,

M

**From Chapter 12...**

A peace born of conviction sealed her determination.

_Too late. He's back. He's brought reinforcements. And he's looking pretty pissed. _

Imra began to plead. _Lois, please don't. Just sit tight until help comes. Don't do anything to anger him. To push him into revealing his true self. It won't do any good. You have no idea what he's capable of._ A pause. A softened voice._ Good-bye, Imra._

Looks like I'm about to learn.

_Lois! Lois, no! NO!_

Another voice entered her mind. Breaking through her panic. Issuing a deep, resonating command.

_Let her go, Imra. She's with me now. There's nothing more you can do._

**Chapter 15**

Silence cloaked Lois' mind like a wet blanket. Dark. Heavy. Cold.

Then a gentle warmth blew through her, setting her heart on fire. Her nerves, every cell in her body came alive.

A new voice her mind. A familiar voice. A beloved voice.

_Lois? Lois, I'm so sorry. About all of this. _

_It's you._

_Yes._

_But..._

_Please. I know you're scared right now and I wish I had the time to explain, but I don't. I just need you to listen. I need you to be brave._

She nodded, her eyes darting from one cloaked figure to another as they slowly filed into the center of the Chamber and began to form a circle around her. Where was he? Was he behind a black mask? Or was he connecting with her-speaking to her-from a safe distance? Had he found his way back to her from the past?

Did it even matter? For the first time since the whole time-travel ordeal began, Lois Lane didn't feel alone.

She swallowed hard. _Ok. _

_How far are you willing to go to save Clark? _

She paused, confused by the question.

_Lois?  
_

Sensing the fear and anxiety saturating her name, she answered the only way she could. _You already know._

A sigh of relief. A warm smile of acknowledgement. An invisible hand brushed through her hair. _Yes. Yes, I do. _A pause. _Lois, for Liam to win he needs to alter the past. He'll start by destroying your memories. _Another pause.A reluctant request. _I need you to let him._

Panic rushed through her like a wildfire._ No._

The invisible hand dropped to cling to hers. _Lois, it's the only way. Listen to me. We can choose what he takes. We can pinpoint a moment in time-just one-and focus. Once it's gone, I'll have the proof I need to destroy him. _

Tears slipped out of her closed eyes. _But...but I don't have any I want to lose._

Something more than desperation entered his voice. Anguish. Despair. _You must. There must be something you wish hadn't happened between you. Something you regret. _

Lois frantically scoured her memories for something that would fit his description. She came up empty._ No. Nothing. Every moment between us..._

_Good or bad. I know, Lois. I know. _Silence slipped between them, connecting them. Solidifying them. Phantom fingers caressed her face, expressing what he could not say. He was the first to speak with a solution that neither pleased nor satisfied. But it was the only option they had. _Then let me choose something._

_But..._

_Lois, please. Trust me._

A moment of indecision. A moment of truth.

_Always._

The door burst open with a crash.

"Clark! Clark, we found it! We found a way..."

Oliver Queen rushed through Lois' apartment checking each room to no avail. Bathroom, office, bedroom. No sign of him anywhere. He moved quickly to the kitchen hoping to find a note.

Nothing.

He glanced around the apartment once more as the lonely silence accosted him.

"Dammit, Clark, where are you?" The inquiry was blown out in a breath of frustration.

"Oliver." Hastily forgotten by the man on a mission, Zatanna softly called to him, her eyes fixed on something beyond the French doors leading to Lois' balcony.

Ollie reached her in a matter of seconds, his own gaze following hers. "Chloe?"

He paused long enough to issue a soft command to Zatanna. "Call Dinah. Tell her I need her here. Now."

The chill of the night hit him full in the face when he opened the door. Grief hung thick in the air. Foreboding twisted his gut like a vice. Something had happened. Something big. And that _something_, he suspected, was the reason for Clark's absence.

Despite all that had happened, not even his anger could withstand the sight Chloe painted.

Covered in shadows, sitting in a lone chair, she was clutching a stuffed tiger to her chest. Knees pulled up as tightly as possible, she gently rocked back and forth. Tears hung like droplets of dew on her lashes.

Oliver cautiously approached, knelt next to her chair and spoke softly. "Chloe? Chloe, are you ok?"

She didn't blink, but the droplets fell without further prompting. Ollie reached out to touch her hand. It was ice cold. Fear slithered down his spine. "Chloe, it's Oliver. Tell me what happened."

"I've lost…everyone." Chloe whispered as her hand caressed the stuffed animal she seemed to be addressing. "Everyone."

"Where's Clark?"

"Clark?" A hitch in her chest made her face crumble. "I've…I've lost him too."

An edge of desperation filtered through Ollie's tone. His fingers wrapped around her thin arm, trying to make a connection. Trying to reach her. "Chloe, listen to me. This is very important. You _have_ to tell me what happened."

"He knows…" She stated simply, her gaze dazed and dream-like, pained and broken. "…everything. Sebastian. Davis. I didn't trust him, you see. I didn't tell him the truth. And now, now he blames me for it all…"

"Who does?"

"Clark."

"You've seen him then." The conclusion was not hard to reach. But given Chloe's obvious distress, it was best to clarify as much as possible. "Chloe, have you seen Clark?"

Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth as she nodded silently. Fresh tears formed.

"Chloe, listen to me. I don't know what happened between you, but he doesn't blame you."

"Yes. Yes, he does." Her head nodded vigorously dislodging more errant tears. "For Jimmy, for Lois…he said that I…that I…can't be trusted."

"He's hurting right now, Chloe. Losing Lois…well, it's taken a toll none of us expected. He's not…himself." Oliver explained, not sure he was even convinced by his own words. At least in one aspect, Clark Kent had never been himself more.

"But...he's right." Her gaze shifted to Ollie, beyond him. To someone who was no longer there. "Everything he said. Every accusation…he's right. This whole time I've been telling myself that everything I did was…for him. To save him. But deep down inside, I knew. I knew it was all a lie..."

tbc...


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note: Hey all! Thank you, thank you for all the support you continue to give as I try to wrap up these Smallville stories. This one's been waiting in the wings awhile. I'm purposely keeping some things vague in this chapter, but all will be revealed in the next which should be out very soon. Thanks again for sticking with me on these. I can't thank you enough! **

**Hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear what you think! Hopefully PYL or BML will be out next!**

**Hugs,**

**M**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Sharp nails of malice haphazardly tripped through her mind. Searching. Probing. Trying to grasp one of the timeless memories rapidly flickering by like a strobe light. Suddenly they stopped on an image as if called to attention.

As if given permission.

Searing pain shot through Lois followed by a flood of warmth. Of protection. Of healing.

Then the screaming began.

It took Lois a moment to realize the screams were not her own. It took another full of scuffles and grunts, and finally, wimping cries of defeat to understand that Liam Luthor's plans had failed.

And it felt like an eternity before she felt gentle hands on her face.

"Lois. Lois, it's over." His hands worked quickly to unleash the blindfold that had blocked the world from her sight. "You're safe now. You're safe..."

Her lashes fluttered. Grimacing, her eyes reluctantly opened, then focused on the face hovering so close above hers. A familiar face. With unfamiliar lines. "Cl-ark?"

Grim lips twisted into an ironic smile. "The one and only."

Lois blinked her confusion. "But…"

"I'm not him." The clearly older version of Clark explained, his voice husky with emotion. His gaze held hers, willing her to understand. "I'm the future of him." A troubled look was obscured by long, dark lashes when his gaze lowered, his actions suddenly, intently focused on releasing her from her restraints.

"But…but you were just in my head. We were…"

"…talking. Yes, Lois, we were talking." The future version of her Clark confirmed. "And now we're getting you out of here. Just hang on, ok?"

"We?"

"Dad?" A distant voice rose in question then filled with relief when it entered the room. "Dad!"

Clark's head snapped up and he spun toward the door of the now-empty Chamber. "What is it?"

"It's Chief Regent Niak. He wants to see you. He said they want..." The voice faltered, skidded to a halt, then began again picking up where he left off. "...they want her to stay. To be a witness at the trial."

"What? No. No, she can't." Clark paused contemplating the situation Lois as yet did not understand. "She's already stayed too long..."

"Clark?"

Clark turned back to her at the sound of his name. His expression was concerned, grim. One look in her eyes and a decision was made. "Chris, come here."

"But..."

"It's ok. Come here."

A sandy-haired 11-year old head appeared from behind Clark. Warm brown eyes widened. "Wow. She's...you're..." The younger man's lips tilted in an open grin. "Hi, mom."

"Chris." Clark's tone was sharp, causing Chris to glance away guiltily.

"Mom?" Lois blinked from the young man to the Clark. "Dad?"

Realizing the damage had been done, and not all that sure he minded, Clark sighed and placed a comforting hand on Chris' shoulder. After all, this was the first time his entire family had been into a time travel dilemma and he simply didn't know where the lines were drawn and what ones he needed to cross to make things right again.

"Lois, I'll explain everything later, but for now, this is Chris. He's our son...well, mine and my Lois'. He's going to get you out of here."

Lois unconsciously clung to Clark's hand. "No, no, Clark. Please. Don't leave me."

His expression registered shock at her touch. Then relief. Hope. He gaze fixed on their combined hands, he swallowed hard. Resignation. He forced himself to look into her eyes. To keep his voice level, comforting as he covered her hand with his own. "It's ok. I'll be right behind you."

"But…"

"Lois, I have you back. I'm not losing you now. Too much depends on us being together. Trust me, ok?" Clark waited long enough to see Lois' nod of affirmation before turning to the boy. "Son, listen. Get food, a change of clothes, blankets. Take her to the Fortress. Show her where everything is. I'll be there as soon as I can. And remember what I said about not saying too much."

Chris nodded, his eyes full of doubt. "But, Dad, what if something else happens? What if I can't..."

"It won't and you can." Confident pride spilled through the words meeting his son's unspoken needs. "Chris, there's no one I trust her with more."

One warm smile of encouragement, one last squeeze of her hand and the Clark Kent of the future was gone.

* * *

"So. This must be pretty weird for you."

A half an hour after arriving at Superman's famous Fortress, Lois was attempting another conversation with the tight-lipped Christopher Jonathan Kent.

At least she'd gotten that much from him.

That, and that he was Lois and Clark's adopted son from the year 2017.

Chris shrugged as he jumped from one icy ledge to another. "Kinda. I mean, you're her, but..."

"Not?" Lois finished for him.

Chris' frank gaze met hers. "Yeah."

"I know your dad said you couldn't say much..."

"We could mess up the future." Chris hastened to explain as he resumed his restless calisthenics. "If I, you know, say the wrong thing I could maybe make it so you and dad don't get together or you don't...you know..." His gaze faltered as he kicked at a slab of ice. It cracked upon impact. "...become my mom or something."

Lois smiled at the boy - her future son's - shy honesty. "Something tells me those are two things you don't have to worry about."

That arrested his immediate attention. "Really?"

"Really." Lois stated with a confident smile. "Chris, the only reason I'm not your mom right now is because I haven't met you in my time yet."

Intrigued by that thought, Chris' head tilted to the side in contemplation. And Lois was struck by the similarity of the gesture. She'd seen Clark do the same thing at least a million times.

"Do you think you'll like me when you meet me? I mean, like me enough to want me to be your son?"

"I'm sure of it." She grinned with a wink.

Brown eyes warmed at her confession. His expression opened to her as a grin split his face. "So are you and dad like happy, you know, in your time?"

"Hmm, that's a hard one to answer." Lois replied with a question. "How happy are we in your time?"

Chris rolled his eyes. "Happy. Like crazy happy. At least that's what Aunt Dinah says."

"Yeah?" Lois warmed at his words. She was tempted to ask him who this Aunt Dinah was, but didn't want to jinx his sudden willingness to share.

He continued to explore the Fortress, though it was clear he knew every inch of it. "Yeah, she's always saying stuff like that. Especially when Uncle Ollie's around. Dad says she does it to annoy him into a fight he'll have to make up for later and that even though he acts like it, Uncle Ollie doesn't mind one bit. Whatever that means." He paused before adding, "Dad says you've done the same thing to him lots of times."

Lois bit back a chuckle. _Uncle Ollie, huh? With an Aunt Dinah that likes to tease him about Lois and Clark just to get make up sex later. And a Clark Kent that understands what that's like. Oh, this was one story she was going to hate not hearing... _

"And what do you think about what Aunt Dinah says?" Lois called out, unable to pinpoint the boy's location.

"It's true." Chris popped up behind a crystalized boulder and pronounced his judgment without hesitation. "Dad's always different when you're around."

"How so?"

"I don't know." Chris shrugged. "Sometimes, when you're not looking, he just watches you like he can't stop. But since dad's strong enough to do anything, I guess that just means he doesn't wanna stop. He thinks you're super pretty and real funny. He says so all the time but in funny words that make you go all gooey-eyed."

On a roll, Chris continued. "And he smiles and laughs more when you're around and he's not all serious like he is with the team. And he's always touching you. Not the gross kind of touching, you know with the kissing and stuff. He does that too. A lot. But I mean like holding hands and giving you hugs. And he likes to sit really close to you and put his arm around you and make you giggle. I asked him once why he did it so much and he told me he doesn't feel complete unless he's touching you. Then he said someday, when I found _my_ soulmate, I'd understand."

"And what about me?" Lois asked softly. "I mean your mom. What's she like around him?"

"The same."

Lois paused, letting this new information sink in. Not that it was entirely unexpected. But hearing about her interactions with Clark through the eyes of an 11 year old son made it seem even more real than the wedding picture still pressed against her heart.

"Except lately." Chris added unexpectedly.

"Lately?" Lois' gaze snapped to his face.

Realizing he'd said the wrong thing, Chris ignored her question by asking one she still hadn't answered. "So? Are you and dad happy where you come from?"

Lois blinked up at him, trying to squelch the curiosity racing through her mind. An unintended wistfulness made it to her voice. "Well, in my time we're not together quite yet. So, we're not happy the way you know us to be."

Chris did a back flip and landed in front of her with a bounce. "Do you love him yet?"

"Yes." Lois answered without hesitation.

"Does he love you?"

Lois shook her head as a small uncertain frown pulled her lips downward. "I don't know."

"I can answer that one." A voice behind her answered.

Lois turned to see not Clark, but Superman standing with his arms crossed, hiding part of the red and gold symbol blazoned on his massive chest. His steady gaze met hers, and though it was clear he was trying to keep emotions in check, it was equally clear that it was impossible for him to keep the amusement he was feeling from forming on his lips.

"Dad!" Chris flew to Clark's side and gazed up at him, his obvious hero, with pride. "I took care of her really good. And I didn't say much...only the good stuff...I promise."

Clark placed a hand on Chris' shoulder and gave him a warm smile. "I know, son. I'm really proud of you." He glanced back up at Lois, his blue-green eyes suddenly troubled. In the next moment, she understood why. "Chris, it's time to say good-bye."

"Is everything fixed? Are we going home now?"

"Not quite yet." Clark explained. "Rokk thought you might want to go exploring for a little while. There's a lot of really cool things to see here in this future."

Chris sighed his understanding. "You wanna talk to mom alone, don'tcha?"

"I kinda need to, pal."

"Ok." Chris shrugged his acceptance of the news then ran back to Lois. "Don't forget to like me when you meet me, ok?"

Lois smiled broadly. "Not a chance, sport."

Her answer prompted a peck on the cheek, an impromptu hug and a whispered confession. "You'll always be my mom. No matter what time we're in."

And with that, Chris Kent was gone.

Leaving Lois Lane to face her future...

...and Clark Kent to deal with his past.

tbc...


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note: So, I had more done on this one than I thought so...**

**Thank to all of you for the feedback. It means so much more than I can say. Hope you enjoy this next part and I'd love to hear what you think! :)**

**Hugs,**

**M**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

It never ceased to amaze.

The effect she had on him.

It was more than the friendship that kick started their epic love story or the honesty that sustained it. It went beyond the overwhelming sense of peace or the world of possibilities opening up before him, straight to the core of everything he was living for. Everything he was. Her courage became his. Her strength fueled his own. And his unwavering confidence that often baffled friends and foes alike was directly tied to her ability to maintain hope in the gravest of situations.

And if ever a situation was grave...

He hadn't spoken to his Lois in two days. And it felt like an eternity in the desert. He'd barely spoken to this one and it already felt like a monsoon.

A wave of optimism he hadn't expected made his heart constrict, release then surge. There was a chance now. More than a chance, actually. With Lois Lane on his side, he _would_ set things right again.

For all of them.

He just hoped there was enough time.

Lois Lane's silent, appraising gaze swept over him.

"Nice costume."

Clark glanced down, suddenly realizing it was the first time this Lois had seen not only the suit, but him in it. He shifted uncomfortably, unsure of this Lois' reaction. After all, he and his Lois had been in an entirely different emotional space when he'd revealed his fully-suited alter-ego to her.

"Yeah, um, Mom made it."

"Did I approve?"

Taken off guard by the question, his eyes unexpectedly sparkled with unspoken memories, "You've had your complaints." A faint smile shadowed his lips. "But mostly you're quite..._enthusiastic_ about it."

"Huh. So, out of all the girls in all the world you just happened to end up with the girl with a costume fetish." The not-so-subtle undertone of Clark's choice of words caused Lois to blush even as her steady gaze noted the subtle changes in his features. "Sounds like you got lucky."

"I don't believe in luck." Clark countered softly. "But yeah, yeah I did."

His jawline was squarer than she remembered even from two days ago. The lines in his face had a gentle strength she'd already noted in her Clark. His full, kissable lips were used to smiling, but at present were held firm by a tight, grim line. And his eyes. His troubled gray eyes were a mixture of emotions.

Relief. Sadness. Hope.

It was the sadness that got her. After all she'd discovered about their life together, of how happy they were, she was clearly missing some pieces of information. Some tiny details or life-altering revelations.

Her bet was on the second one.

"This isn't quite fair, you know."

"What?"

"You knowing me so well while I know practically nothing about us. Of what we've become. How we are together."

"Maybe not fair, but it is..." Searching for the right word, Clark paused till he found the one dangling closest to the truth. "...refreshing."

A dark eyebrow hitched in surprise, prompting a line of clarification.

"You don't know my failures yet."

Lois chuckled. "Oh, don't kid yourself, Smallville. I've been keeping track of those since the day we met."

An unexpected grin cracked the seriousness of the moment and shed years from his expression as he tilted his head in scrutiny. It was such an endearingly familiar gesture that Lois' breath hitched at the sight.

"What?" She asked, trying to still the tremor in her one-word question.

"It's just...you haven't called me Smallville in..." Trying to mentally pinpoint the last time he'd heard the endearing moniker, Clark soon gave up with a shrug. "...too long."

"Oh?" Lois queried innocently. "And what do I call you instead?"

"Honey. Sweetie." Clark's grin deepened as Lois' eyebrow rose in surprise. "Super Stud."

Lois chuckled. "Super Stud? I certainly hope you live up to _that_ name."

"In ways that defy logic. Or so you tell me." Clark confirmed a slight blush brushing his cheeks.

"Yeah? And what else do I tell you?"

"That you and me...highlight of your life."

Recognizing the phrase, Lois flipped through the memories in her mind a smile growing on her lips and lighting her eyes. "Ah, yes. I remember the origins of that one."

"As do I." He answered softly, knowingly drawing from years of experience. Seeing the questions silently waiting for him in her eyes, Clark sobered and voiced the obvious. "I'm sure you have a million questions."

"Try a million and one."

"Where do you want to start?"

"With the easiest." A pause. "What the hell happened back there?"

Clark moved to lean against a ledge not far from the crystal clump where she was standing, signaling a distant closeness he needed to maintain. "You already know about Liam's plan?"

Lois noted the silent, subtle message and stayed rooted her to spot. "Yeah. Destroy my memories of us, keep me prisoner in a time I don't belong so that you and 'True Destiny Lana' can get all down home on the farm, reproduce like bunnies and rule the world."

Clark's lips twitched with amusement at a typical Lois Lane description. "Something like that. Minus the reproducing like bunnies." Noting the quirk of her brow, Clark clarified. "Liam only needed one daughter to marry."

"Out of all of that, _that's_ your take away?"

"Out of all of that, my having a daughter is the only thing remotely possible."

"Except the memory stealing part." Lois reminded him.

"Yeah. Except that." He sobered instantly. "Lois, the Chamber you were in is a Luthor creation. A device to make all of that possible. It gives him the power to dig into people's minds, to erase their memories or alter them if need be. He could literally make his own army of mind-numbed robots out of humans, meta-humans, anyone really. And he was well on his way to doing so when you showed up."

"Bully for me." Lois quipped under her breath.

"Lucky for us." Clark corrected, explained. "Since Lois Lane was his pièce de ré·sis·tance having you within his grasp was a temptation he couldn't resist. So he accelerated his plans and made mistakes too big to ignore."

"And that's where you came in."

"That's where I came in. Literally."

"So you _were_ inside the Chamber with me. You were one of the cloaked figures."

"I was." Clark confirmed as his gaze shifted to the memory of it, he added an unexpected confession. "Though I have to admit, being able to talk to you like that was a bit of a surprise."

"So, that's not normal for us."

"No."

"Then how?"

Clark shrugged. "The power of the Chamber must have enhanced my own abilities, and it's no secret you and I have a connection that's deeper than...well, let's just say its legendary. Today it worked to our advantage in a very tangible way."

"And Luthor? Could he hear us?"

"No. Once you and I had connected, he was as blind to my presence as he was to his impending downfall."

Lois switched gears unexpectedly. "How did you know to come when you did?"

Clark's gaze shifted and his Adam's apple bobbed as guilt dropped over his features like a veil. It took him a moment to speak, and when he did, his voice was pained.

"Things in my time have gone wrong, Lois. Terribly wrong." Not wanting to wade into the gory details just yet, Clark headed off any questions and hurried on. "I was already looking for the cause of it all when I got the message from the Legion. Once I knew the you of my past was in trouble here in their time, things in my time started to make sense. So I got here as fast as I could."

"To save the day."

"To save the hour." Clark corrected. "The day's still in danger."

"Liam?"

"No. He's being permanently neutralized as we speak."

"How?"

"Remember the other people in the Chamber? They were on our side. Members of the Council Regents, the ruling body of this time. They'd had an eye on Luthor for a while now, but he's been playing things pretty close to the vest. Publically, he's squeaky clean and they needed proof of his plans before they could act." A pause. Lips tilted in acknowledgement. "You and I gave it to them."

Greeting his moment of satisfaction with a brief, acknowledging smile, Lois' brows furrowed in thought. "Why would Luthor just open the doors to a secret mind-twisting device like that?"

"Pride before the fall, I guess. A few hours ago, he called his secret sect together. I took advantage of that and rounded them up before they had a chance to gather. The Council Regents and I took their place to witness the undoing of Lois Lane "

"And instead, witnessed Luthor's own."

"Thanks to you." His eyes warmed with remembrance. "You know, in all the years I've known you, you have never ceased to amaze me. There's just no equal to your courage."

"I'm not sure what I did was all that courageous. I was scared to death."

"Could have fooled me. But more importantly, you did fool Luthor." A smile of pride swept over his expression. "This age owes you a great deal, Lois Lane."

Unaccustomed to such high praise from 'her' Smallville, Lois accepted his compliments with an embarrassed, yet grateful, smile as she began to process everything he'd told her. Clark silently watched as the wheels turned in her head. He'd always been impressed with how quickly they spun. And was usually surprised in which direction.

This time he knew what was coming.

"What memory did you let him steal?"

"A day like any other. You and me at the Torch, working on a story, trading jabs and insults and generally getting on each other's nerves." He smiled at the fond memory she no longer had before letting the gravity of what almost happened pull his lips downward. His pleading gaze met hers. "It was long before you and I even started to understand what we are to each other, Lois. I would have died before I let him touch those."

Lois nodded in silence, her gaze resting heavily on his chiseled features.

"What will happen to him now? Chris said something about a trial."

"It's already underway. They wanted you as a witness, but I convinced them they had enough to put Luthor away for the rest of his natural life. Beside, you have somewhere else you need to be."

"Right. About that. Maybe it's time we moved on to the hard questions."

"Ok, shoot."

Lois swallowed hard and verbalized the one question from which everything else flowed. "Does...does he...love me? You said you could..."

Clark Kent interrupted with just one word.

"Desperately."

"Desperately." Lois repeated, a bit taken back. "To be clear, that's not you answering as you now, you know, having been my...her husband for..."

"Eight years." Clark supplied. "And no, Lois, I'm not answering as a husband. Though to be clear, I feel the exact same about my Lois and I have for a very long time."

"But how? I mean, things between us have been really rocky lately. And the last time we spoke he was..."

"I remember." Noting the surprise in her eyes, Clark explained. "The events of Doomsday didn't just happen to you and him, Lois. They happened to me and my Lois too. Everything...you and him, me and her, our histories, our choice and decisions, _everything_ up to that point were exactly the same. The difference came after. You see, _my_ Lois came back to me three weeks after I lost her. For him, you've been gone for two months."

"And that's made a difference?"

"You have no idea."

"How?"

Clark paused a moment, taking a deep breath and choosing his words carefully. They were about to dive into the subject he'd been trying up until now to avoid. But even Clark knew he'd have to reveal the truth at some point.

And it seemed, that point was now.

"By the time my Lois returned to me, I knew. I knew how much I loved her, I knew how important she was to me. I knew she was the one I'd been waiting for my entire life."

Lois shifted uncertainly. "Why do I sense a 'but' here?"

"Because you know me too well." Clark commented off handedly before returning to the subject at hand. "But even though I knew all of that, I still kept her in the dark about my identity. Partly to keep her safe and partly because she thought it was best."

"Why would she think it was best if I...she didn't even know?"

"The Red and Blue Blur, Lois." He waited a moment to let that sink in. "You...care for him. A lot."

"You mean you. I care for you a lot."

"Yes, but me as him." Clark paused realizing just how twisted everything sounded, _remembering_ how twisted everything had gotten for a while. And now, with an extra layer of time-travelling weirdness to slice through... Clark sighed and shrugged his shoulders in a helpless gesture. "It got a little confusing for a while."

"I can't imagine why." Lois quipped.

"So even as Lois and I started dating, she had this growing connection with the Blur. And for my part, I continued to blindly trust the people I'd always trusted." Seeing the unasked question in her eyes, he answered. "Oliver, for one. And Chloe."

"So, Chloe does know about Clark...you."

"She does." Clark confirmed. "Thing is, I didn't know everything about her. Not until recently. And those things are not only threatening to destroy us in my time, Lois...they're threatening to destroy him in yours."

A fear, a dread fell into the pit of Lois' stomach. "What do you mean?"

"By you returning to me too soon, I was left in the dark. There were things I couldn't see, things that even if I could, I wouldn't want to admit. But now, because of your extended absence, he has no choice but to do what I couldn't. At least, not until recently."

"And these things...they have to do Chloe, don't they?"

"Yes, Lois. I'm sorry to say it, but they do."

And without missing a beat, Lois Lane proved to Clark Kent that his wife - in whatever time, whatever version - was the bravest person he'd ever met.

"What is it, Clark? What has Chloe done?"

"She's betrayed us all."

tbc...


	18. Chapter 18

Author's note: Hello, all! So very sorry this took so long to get out to you. It was a hard chapter to finish because I wanted to make sure the time travel issues weren't going to be too funky-weird. Also striking the emotional balance was difficult - hopefully I was able to.

So, this chapter needs a word of explanation for sure. I don't know about all of you, but S8 really, REALLY destroyed Chloe's character for me. I could not find any kind of justification for all of the things she did behind Clark's back and against his wishes in the whole Davis Bloom affair. And we're not even talking about her relationship with Jimmy. What I especially didn't like was how, after everything she did, they made her into a 'hero' with Jimmy's speech at the end. Unfortunately, Clark's character wasn't strong enough to stand on his own two feet at that point, so in a lot of ways, he followed Chloe's direction and it ended up with a lot of people dead. Which, I think, could have been avoided if Clark had been allowed to do things his way.

I also didn't like how the show never really addressed any of what she did to any real degree. Oliver did initially, but then after that, everything was dropped. And Clark barely raised an eyebrow, which was so frustrating as a viewer. Even in S9, when Chloe was still walking that fine line and dipping her toes in the gray areas Clark wouldn't approve of, they rarely had him really take her on about it. I think there were several times that the underlying lack of trust between Clark and Chloe reared its ugly head (one that comes to mind is when his first reaction to Lois being kidnapped from the hospital in Pandora was to accuse Chloe), but again it was never really discussed.

So, this chapter is a bit of indulgence to my need to have those things addressed. Now, I am fully aware that Clark would never be this harsh or 'cruel' to Chloe and I've tried my best to write Clark in a way that he doesn't say or do anything he can't come back from. I hope I succeeded, though I know that technically he's somewhat OCC here.

Also, really quick timing note. The Chloe/Clark flashback section fits in between Chloe showing up at Lois' apartment unexpectedly after having been to the morgue to identify Lois' 'body' (chapter 13) and chapter 15 when Oliver comes back to Lois' apartment to find Clark, but finds Chloe on the deck instead. Hope that helps with the timing.

Having said all of that, it's kinda an intense chapter and I would love to hear what you think. I think. :)

And if it helps you to hate me less because of this chapter, Lois and Clark's reunion is VERY close at hand! :)

Hugs,

M

* * *

**Chapter 18**

"Betrayed us." Lois Lane repeated, unbelieving. "To be clear, is that you 'us', me 'us' or…"

"Us as in my time, Lois." Clark finished for her. "But the tendencies, the patterns that she's embraced in my time began in yours. It's these patterns that your Clark now understands. What he is now facing."

"What do you mean? What patterns?"

"Lying, manipulating. Playing God with all of our lives." A hint of resentment filtered through his voice. "Her sense of right and wrong, Lois, it's...more wrong than right. And her loyalties can be divided. Quite easily, it seems." Clark pulled in a labored breath, his gaze shifting into a past that wasn't so distant for him. "She manages somehow to justify everything. No matter how unthinkable."

Agitated by the image Clark was painting, Lois pushed herself away from the boulder she'd been leaning against and approached him. "Ok, I'm hearing what you're saying right now, but, Clark, the Chloe you're describing is _not _the cousin I know."

Lips tight, Clark nodded in understanding. "I'm not surprised. None of us wanted to believe her capable of the things she's done in my time."

A frustrated, staccato sigh echoed through the Fortress. "Clark. What is it? What's happened? Just...tell me."

Wetting his lips and swallowing hard, Clark took a moment to gather his courage. Not for revealing his future to Lois. But for remembering what he left behind.

"Remember I told you that, back home, things have gone wrong?" He waited for her nod. "That was a bit of an understatement." He pulled in a breath that shook his body as he eyes dulled with pain. "You see, my Lois is, as we speak, in a coma I'm not sure she'll ever come out of. Lois...Chloe is the one who put her there."

Horrified, Lois' questions came out in a strangled whisper. "What? But why?"

"Because she learned too much. Because she got in Chloe's way."

Lois shook her head in immediate dismissal. "No, Clark, I can't...I can't believe Chloe would ever do anything to hurt me."

"Neither could I." His strong shoulders slumped in defeat as guilt overtook his expression. "It's all my fault, Lois."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because when you disappeared, I cut myself off from anyone and anything that reminded me of you. Chloe. Oliver. The Daily Planet. Being around them, being in places where you were just a ghost..." A helpless shrug. A distant gaze. "It hurt too much. So, I walked away. I rejected everything human about myself and fled to here, to the Fortress, to embrace my Kryptonian destiny. Three weeks later, you reappeared in Metropolis and..." His eyes softened with the emotions slipping through his words. "...like a siren's call, I was drawn back to myself, to my humanity. Because of you."

"But...that's a good thing, right?" Lois asked softly, trying to name the various emotions flitting through his expression.

"Oh, yes, Lois." Clark breathed a smile into existence. "Yes, it was a very good thing." The smile faded. "But for awhile, things were still rocky between me and Chloe, Oliver. Eventually, we banded together and became a team again. We did it, though, without really addressing the issues that pulled us apart. And now I realize that because of that, all of these years, I've missed all the signs that lead us to this place."

"What signs?"

Arms crossed over his chest and gaze focused on the ground at his feet, Clark began to pace. "Chloe's underlying resentment for Jimmy's death, for our happiness. Her secretive ways. The ego that led her to go behind our backs and make deals with our enemies. I readily accepted whatever excuse she gave me, because it was easier. Because I didn't want to face the truth."

Clark stopped pacing and pulled in a shaky breath before continuing. "Lois was the first to figure it out. And when she came to me with her suspicions...I'm ashamed to say, I was too distracted to really listen. To take her seriously." Lost in the memory, Clark's voice dropped to a pained whisper. "She went to find proof I would believe and that's when it happened. That's when Chloe revealed who she's become and you...she...my Lois..."

Hands clenched tight at his side, his haunted eyes drifted closed. "God, Lois, I _can't_ lose her."

"Oh, Clark..."

Lois Lane had never been able to see Clark Kent in pain. Now was no different. The hint of tears shining in her own eyes, Lois rushed to gather him in her arms. He stood a moment, stunned, unyielding. And then, he crumbled. His arms slipped around her waist as he buried his head into the crook of her neck and clung to her like a lifeline.

And for a moment, he forgot she wasn't _his _Lois. Because in truth, she was. And for a moment, he forgothe _was _Superman. Because in truth, he wasn't.

Not without her.

His trembling whisper was full of emotion as he slowly pulled away from her. "I'm afraid, Lois. I'm so afraid that when I go home, I won't have a home to go to. That she and I...that you and he...may never get a real chance to be together."

She blinked up at him, fear slipping through her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Clark broke away from Lois, turning his back to gather his own thoughts, his own fears. When he turned back to her, he was once more composed and in control. Or as in control as he ever hoped to be, given the circumstances.

His gaze met hers as he explained. "With you here, missing for so long, your Clark doesn't have the reprieve that I had, Lois. He's further from his humanity than I ever dreamed of being. He's seeing things - actions, situations - through eyes that aren't clouded with any emotion but the loss of you."

"And because of that, he's challenging Chloe, confronting her with the truth of her actions. He's walking away from her in a way I never did. Because of your absence, Chloe knows how much you mean to him now..."

Realization dawned. "You think she'll try to keep us apart?"

Clark swallowed hard. "I don't know. Maybe. What I do know is that Chloe is at as much of a crossroads as Clark is. And they both need you, Lois. We all do. If we ever hope to have a future, we need _you_ to repair the damage of the past..."

* * *

_With squared shoulders and a heavy heart, Chloe Sullivan slowly opened the door to Lois' bedroom._

_To Clark's sanctuary. _

_She stood in the doorway with the soft light from the living room pooling around her, gazing into the gloom beyond. She didn't see him at first. And when she did, the sight was devastating._

_Part of the darkness now - taken over by it, mastered - he blended effortlessly into his surroundings. Melted wordlessly into the gentle shadows of Lois' room. Standing by the window, he gazed down at the photo in his hands, his fingers lightly caressing her image as the traitorous moon revealed his position. Showcased his beautifully tragic profile._

_Upon her entrance, the door creaked._

_His head tilted, an indication he was aware of her presence. Then, a defeated sigh filled the room. "Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?"_

_She ignored the resonating echo of his words. If she had a shot at this…any shot at all…she had to establish her place. Her claim. "Long before she was anything to you, Clark, she was__my__cousin. I loved her like a sister. I have a__right__to be here…just as much as you do."_

"_A right." Clark repeated slowly, contemplatively. His lips quirked, his voice dipped ironically. "Do you now?"_

"_Clark…" Chloe advanced into the room._

"_The first time I saw her…" Clark interrupted, his voice lifeless. On auto pilot. "…you were dead. She barely knew me and what she did know..." A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "...was as foreign to her as fear. She didn't understand how I could even think you were still alive, but she believed anyway. And she didn't stop. She didn't hesitate to follow me, lead me, into danger just to find you."_

"_Clark, please…"_

_He ignored her attempt to stop his reminiscing. His voice tightened. "And when you went on a road trip with a serial killer, she was terrified for you. She didn't sleep, she barely ate, she was so tied into knots…"_

_Unwilling, or unable, to hear any more, Chloe interrupted. "Clark, why are you doing this? Why are you saying these things?"_

"_Because if you want to talk about rights…" Clark's head rose, his gaze drifted to the moon. The photo in his hands, pressed to his heart. "...you're way behind in the game."_

_The gentle blow hit Chloe._

_Hard._

_Her mind fought his words, wanted to argue, wanted to deny everything he was saying._

_But she couldn't. Each accusation was true. Every jab, valid._

_Even then, everything she'd done, she'd done for him. He needed to understand that. He needed to know. She thought he had, but now..._

"_Clark, I…"_

"_What do you want, Chloe?" He tossed the question over his shoulder like a grenade. Quick. Hard. With perfect aim. "I'm not blind, you know. Not anymore. You're not here right now because you want to feel close to Lois or because you believe there's a chance she's coming back. If that were the case, I would have seen you long before now." A ragged, defeated breath. "So, what do you want from me? _

_"I don't want anything, Clark."_

_"Of course you do. You always do. And I usually give it to you." A hint of condemnation filtered through his tone. Whether for her or himself, she couldn't tell. "But if you're here to lecture me, I gotta tell you, I just don't think I can take one more right now. Not from you."_

_"Lecture?"_

_His lips twisted into an ironic smile. "Yeah, you know. Those little pep talks you're so famous for giving. About how I'm not measuring up. Or not giving you what you need. Or how I'm incapable of making the hard choices."_

_"Clark, please," she pleaded. "I just want to help you."_

_"You can't."_

_"But, Clark, I'm your best friend!"_

_A sharp, harsh chuckle was her only answer. And it cut her to the quick._

_"Clark?"_

_"I'm not sure what you are right now, but a friend?" Clark pulled in a deep, resigned breath and shook his head. "No, Chloe. A friend...doesn't seem...quite right, right now."_

_"How can you even...say that?" Flummoxed, Chloe pushed through warring emotions and tried to gather her thoughts. "After all these years, after everything we've been through together..." She couldn't stop the catch in he voice. "What I've sacrificed for you."_

_"Sacrifice? Is that what you call it?"_

_Indignation flared in her eyes and made its way to her voice. "My husband is _dead_ because of what I was willing to do for you, Clark, so yes. Yes, I think I have sacrificed..._everything_."_

_He finally turned to face her. His eyes were two pinpoints of accusation. Of justice. _

_"And the woman I love is missing right now because somewhere along the line _you_ decided that playing games and taking chances with people's lives was _more important_ than _trusting _the people that trusted _you_."_

_Tears were slipping down her cheeks. She angrily wiped them away. "God, Clark, when did you become so cruel?" _

_"When did you become someone I couldn't trust?" He asked simply, the pain in his voice evident. He paused contemplating his next words. "I've been…so blind. Believing you. Following your lead. Doing what _you_ think is best. If I hadn't, maybe Jimmy would be alive. If I hadn't, Lois might here today." _

_A harsh chuckle escaped him. "You know the irony about all of this? Oliver tried to tell me, but I wouldn't listen. I wouldn't listen because I just knew_ my_ friend Chloe, the _one_ person I could always count on to be on _my_ side, wouldn't lie _to me_. She wouldn't have feelings for a murderer. And she certainly wouldn't choose _him_ over innocent lives." _

_"Choose him?" Chloe's self-righteousness fueled her defensiveness. "Clark, I told you. He came to me, begged me to help him. He said I was the only one that could keep the beast under control. I had to do what I did in order to save you…"_

"_You know, you keep saying that." Clark interrupted her, his lips tight and eyes full of doubt, realizations. "But if it was only about saving me, you would have told me, Chloe. We would have worked it out. We would have found a way just like we always have. Together. But instead? You turned your back on all of us. Ollie, Jimmy, me. You kept him hidden for weeks. You let me believe he was dead when, in fact, you were playing nursemaid to a monster that was ripping people apart. You lied to my face to save him. You sent me on a wild goose chase to save him. You stopped me in the Fortress…to save _him_."_

"_Clark, I told you…"_

_Clark's eyes flashed with anger, with confidence. "_Don't_ tell me I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd sent him to the Phantom Zone. Because I've seen now what I can live with. And what I can't live without."_

_"Lois." Chloe's knowing whisper filled the room. "And me? What about me, Clark?"_

_Clark's unwavering gaze met hers. "I guess I can make the hard choices after all." _

_Brushing past her like she was nothing, Clark headed out of the bedroom and toward the door. _

_"Clark, wait. You need to...to know something. About Lois." Whether it was the tremor in her voice or Lois' name alone, Clark's attention was captured, if only for the moment. Chloe pressed on. "Clark, she's not coming back."_

_Releasing the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, Clark tried to stop her before she got a chance to start. "Look, we've been over this..."_

_"I've seen her body."_

_Clark spun around, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What?"_

_"I just..." She struggled to keep her voice, her tears, her heart in check. "...came from the morgue. They called me to identify her body. I went down there hoping against hope, but...Clark, it's Lois."_

_"No." Instantly rejecting the idea, Clark's head shook in vehement denial. "I don't believe you."_

_"Why would I lie to you about something like that?"_

_"I don't know." Clark admitted before offering up the very reason for all of his doubts. "Why would you lie to me about a serial killer living in your basement?"_

_"Fine. You don't believe me. You don't trust me. Maybe for good reason." Chloe stood her shaky ground. "But Lois is gone, Clark, and no amount of hating me will bring her back."_

_"I don't hate you, Chloe." Clark stated softly. "I just don't know you anymore."_

tbc...


End file.
